"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'"
— Mary Anne Radmacher
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(Part of a series on doing hard things – either chosen or when they’re thrust upon you – with more grace and style. This is #3. Enjoy.)
The friction of the long days – the noise, the exhaustion, the dark nights.
The shifting weight of the doubt: “I’m not sure I’m up to this” …
The hardest thing about hard things is we don't expect them to be hard.
We hope for the best.
But you must expect the mess.
Expect to be lost, drained, and certain that you cannot go on.
Hey – it’s hard. That’s okay.
By embracing this cold fact, you stop wanting the moment to be different.
You kill the “It shouldn’t be like this” static and inhabit the reality of what is.
This is the alchemy that changes the weight of the load.
Resistance makes hard things heavy.
Acceptance makes them lighter.
When my daughter was little and wouldn't sleep, I tried to maintain "normal”. The normal work. The normal exercise. The normal everything.
I quickly saw normal had to go out the window.
I had to modify the expectations of my own abilities.
First had to come energy.
A nap and some longer sessions of Ascension meditation for deep recovery made a world of difference, but by necessity cut into “normal”.
Don’t add more on top of "enough.”
Pushing through only works until you break.
Mantras for the Storm
When the bogs get sucky and the headwind picks up –
“Good. This is why I came.”
Or:
“Bring it on!”
Instead of sitting down in the puddle, lean in. Stand tall – roll your shoulders back.
A little fire silences the frustration and exhaustion. It cuts through the whine. You have to dance; you might as well do it on your own terms.
And when you’re coming apart at the seams –
“This too shall pass.”
It is storm season. But every storm runs out of rain.
Hold fast.
Stay where your feet are.
You will get through, one step at a time.
Go well,
Arjuna
PS.
Ascension has been the biggest help in navigating the challenges I’ve chosen – and the ones thrown my way.
The ability to stay where my feet are, to drop the "I can't go on" whine, and to see options where before there were none is invaluable.
Ascension is more than a recharge; it’s a way to put down the mental and emotional load, and attend to what’s truly important.
Maybe this is just the ticket for you, right now.
My next course is 17–19 April, 7pm start. (Always free to repeat for those who have learned – be great to see you again!).
Check out www.arjunaishaya.com/ishayasascension for more details, or DM me for a chat on these courses and 1-1 options.
No obligation. I’d love to help.