The Courage to Grow

Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

There will be hard days

It is up to us to see

The light that comes forth

It’s been said that those moments and days that are most difficult, are actually showing up to help us grow. It’s kind of like working out — while it’s difficult to get motivated to build the discipline, the more we do it and stretch ourselves, the stronger we become. And not only do we find physical strength in the practice, but we begin to find growth in our personal confidence.

During difficult and challenging periods, I often times use the analogy of a tunnel. The first steps into the long and dark journey can be filled with apprehension and uncertainty. Because we cannot clearly see what’s in front of us, we resort to listening to our inner guide. For some of us, this can be the first and only time we pay attention to that whisper. After centering in on its message, we are able to discern the upcoming steps that must be taken. And over time, we begin to see the distant light at the end of that tunnel, giving us hope that there’s another side to this cavernous road.

And when we finally reach the light, we are so ever thankful for its existence. We sometimes bow to its beauty, reflecting on the steps it took to get us here. And while we experienced a period of tumultuous emotions, one thing is for certain — we are never the same person as a result of that journey. We overcame what initially seemed impossible and daunting. And as such, we are now walking into our new and effervescent light.