Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Catharthis

"I can see clearly now the rain is gone..."

If I am going to use "rain" as a metaphor for the past few weeks, it would be more appropriate to say that "I can see clearly now the terrential downpour is gone..."

The month of August was a time to face fears, be in the pain, and to truly grow. Times like these are appropriately called "growth periods." They are the times in your life when you feel like s*&% and when "thinking positive" makes you want to hit someone. These times, as hard as they are and as awful as you feel when you are in them, are the golden times for personal development... that is, if you embrace them.

It is not realistic nor is it healthy to tell yourself that "Life is fantastic" when you feel like "Life is difficult," but it is both realistic and healthy to tell yourslef that "Life is a journey, and this moment, however rough, is a part of that journey. In this difficult phase of my life, if I am aware and not attached to my pain, I can grow and I will be a more evolved person for going through this s*&%!!!

So, this past month I've learned a valuable lesson in letting go of resistance to pain and discomfort. I sat with it. Looked at it. Felt it. Learned from it. And, then.... it was gone.

Now, everything seems new and fresh. I am looking at life with more clarity and even more optimism than I already had. Catharthis is the best word to describe what it feels like to emerge from a growth period. Catharthis as defined by Merriam-Webster is "a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension."

Next time you find yourself in doosey of a growth period... think CATHARTHIS... it may help you get through it with less resistance :)

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