When We Resist Change

Art by Julie Miller/Haggis Vitae Studios

There are lots of different types of changes that can take place in one's life. Big changes, little changes and changes you don't even realize you have made until one day you suddenly find you are a completely different person.

So many times we hear:

"Change yourself and change the world."

or:

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

But how many of us are willing to actually go within and change ourselves? I mean REALLY change, not just superficial bullshit. I mean, how many of us are willing to go inside, turn ourselves inside out, face, embrace and tame our shadow selves? How many of us are willing to look at ourselves, our beliefs truthfully and let go of beliefs that no longer serve us? How many of us are willing to embrace new ways of thinking when they are trying to make their way into our consciousness and wake us up?

I was raised to be racist. I was raised to think that being gay was an abomination. I was taught intolerance and hate. It was taught to me from an early age. I was fortunate enough to be presented with different situations and opportunities by the universe to help me change and let go of beliefs that were both untrue and damaging. Life gently knocked on my door by giving me opportunities to change. Most of the time I answered the door and accepted the opportunities that were given to me and, over time, I evolved and changed. It wasn't over night. It was gradual like a river cutting away at a rock.

Sometimes we are stubborn and don't answer the door to change when it comes knocking. It keeps coming back presenting us with different situations. Maybe it just comes by way of people offering new information and you simply reject it over and over. And then the Universe brings it to you again trying to get you to pay attention. When I say "Universe" I really mean our own higher selves because I believe fully that it is ourselves guiding us and bringing certain opportunities into our lives to grow and change.

So, again, you reject the opportunity and fail to answer the door to change. So change says, "Okay, I gave you a gentler route, but now we will play rough" and suddenly shit happens in your life...devastating shit that brings you to your knees. Maybe you will cry out, "Why me?!!!" And I will tell you it is because you didn't answer the door to change when it came knocking, so it came back with a bomb to dismantle your world so that you are forced to rebuild from the foundation up.

A wise person, at this point, would allow the devastation they have suffered to transform them and change them from the inside out, but I have seen plenty of people who just aren't getting the lesson and they suffer blow after blow until they get it. There are some who just never will "get it". There will be some who will wade through the shit until the bitter end of their life. And some will finally embrace and welcome change and become better people as a result.

What will you choose?

Did you hear that?

"While I nodded, 
nearly napping, 
suddenly there came a tapping, 
As of some one gently rapping, 
rapping at my chamber door." 

~Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven