When life begins to stagnate, we know on some level that the purposes we’d originally set out to accomplish have been served.

This could explain why some people experience a mental breakdown or mid-life crisis. 

Resistance to change.

I’ve learned to view this as a critical period in time, as it becomes clear to us that our energy is no longer being spent properly. Our misguided feelings, thoughts and actions are being directed, in discordance with our life’s purpose. We might begin to feel dreary and may start questioning our motives—the calling that we’re meant to be fulfilling—when so much seems to remain the same, i.e., no longer satisfying our hunger for growth.

We become insatiable.

One issue, it seems, lies in our inability to recognize that change has become imperative to remaining on our path of individual (and equally beneficial, collective) soul progression. What was enjoyable, comforting and respectable for a time—so easily identifiable to us before now—becomes a relentless, gnawing feeling of dread.

Diagnosing the source of what ails us is only the first step in alleviating what ultimately binds us to our suffering.

Our mind may begin its awkward decent into a downward spiral if we ignore our tendency to heal the source of dis-ease. Like a broken record, we wonder what the f*ck this is all for, if we’re simply here, living-to-work, barely allowing space for play and eventually dying from some ailment or condition that no doubt developed because we never learned how to cultivate a healthy lifestyle. We’ve tried desperately to fit into our social norms and repeatedly find that no matter how much, or how often, we attempt to turn back, the tidal waves of life continue pummeling us.

Know the feeling?

Tossed about helplessly, as though we are but a frail piece of shredded, fraying cloth, defiantly helpless to these greater forces acting upon us—bending and twisting our starving and recklessly abandoned bodies to its will.

There is a solution to all of this—the source of this predicament, plaguing the minds of so many. Quite simply, we can learn to embrace the notion of impermanence, or change, while learning to accept what is, rather than what we wish(ed) things to be. Then, we can slowly begin discovering more joy, patience and gratitude within and about us.

For myself, this natural progression has included the necessity to remain largely sober and fit—in mind, body and spirit. Also, doing what’s necessary to will ourselves away from troublesome habits, substance abuse and toxic environments (including people, relationships and unsuitable occupations). It’s been a gradual process, arriving here today—but I am securely feeling more sound in mind, body and spirit.

We can imagine ourselves as complex vessels where multiple exchanges of energy take place routinely. Like water, when left still for too long, we begin to stagnate and become less productive over time—bacteria laden. When we lack vitality, we sacrifice productivity and therefore, what motive force we do have remaining to spend, wanes. 

Fear largely inhibits the allowance of these energy exchanges to take place naturally, over time. Fear (a vibratory pattern response born in the mind) is a segue between our subtle energy and physical bodies. It serves as both a wall and/or a bridge. Fear will halt all forward progress or momentum in its tracks.

Conversely, fear is also a motivator—if we let it be. A great indication that we’re actually heading in the right direction is when we are stricken with fear to move closer to the feeling of whatever it is we’re currently, or were previously, afraid to face. This includes finding the courage to leave or walk away from the source of such fears.

This too is facing our predicament—turning to face the unknown, this blank canvas, awaiting us to splash a vivid array of brightly lit colors unto it—no longer drab or mundane, but reflecting new and radically different perspectives. Our life becomes our work of art—an unfinished masterpiece. 

Yes, face it we must. 

My personal experience has taught me that newborn insights will arrive, steering me toward what’s next, despite facing this looming darkness of uncertainty. We’re casting light upon our shadow nature.

We must face our fears at some point in our lives if we are to overcome them so we might continue moving closer to higher states of overall wellness. This can be an incredibly challenging, conflicting and confusing period in time to do so—making the choice(s) to surmount our own perils. We’re dismantling the walls, which have effectively barricaded new energy flow (vital life-force energy) to commence, unimpeded once again.

We’re simply opening the floodgate. This bridge, we might call our mind is now a stream or conduit, through which our spirit and body may unite—flourishing naturally, once again.

It’s important to note that fear is illusory—a construct of the mind. Typically, fear births itself after we’ve experienced something traumatic or painful as just a couple examples (there are many avenues, from which fear may have been created).

One simple way to approach fear, or combat it, is through action steps. Small changes that may seem trivial, actually influence the plasticity and neural passageways of our brain—it lends to critical thinking behaviors. In other words, it lends us the opportunity to pay closer attention, specifically, to our immediate surroundings—helping sharpen our senses.

Over time, these repeated influences become a predominant pattern or thought response. A belief and its associated feeling is born, through the emergence of such changes, no matter how big or small they are. Spontaneity is interpreted in our minds as a welcome response to change, from moment to moment.

We’ve changed, alchemically.

We can overcome our illusory fears over time, creating new synapses (connections and brainwave repetitions—altering our chemical makeup, which influences emotional response) from making constructive, gradual changes through time.

Time is largely, the catalyst to these changes taking shape—rooting themselves within the subconscious before becoming fully evident here in our present, waking reality as we willingly walk the path. 

Gravitating away from what no longer serves our well-being, slowly over time, we’ll eventually find ourselves graduating from any long-spent, stagnating energy that might otherwise consume and poison us (in mind and body) negatively.

Lastly, reaching out for the proper support from professionals, loved ones and people or groups we feel safe and secure around will surely help us uncover those aspects of ourselves that deserve our profound love, attention and acceptance. It’s truly, a communal effort, achieving the results so many of us currently seek—in simplest terms, connection (energetically, neurally and physiologically).

Author: Thayne Ulschmid

Image: Video still

Editor: Travis May