The Nature of Transformation & 3 Ways to Adjust to It
This is what transformation feels like – and it’s not always comfortable. If you need a quick relief, keep reading to learn how to shift your energy in 5 minutes or less.
Have you ever noticed that when water sits stagnant, it becomes unclean, volatile and hazardous? Versus water that flows, which seems to continuously cleanse itself. Visualize this as a swamp compared to a thriving river and you will easily see what I mean.
As humans, we’re much like this – both physically and energetically. And I would be remiss to mention: an average adult is made up of almost 60% water. So yeah, we share the habit of becoming stagnant, yet we are so innately capable of cleansing and transformation that it’s something we hardly realize we’re doing most of the time.
I’ll define transformation as the actual process of growth. It’s the process between point A and point B in a growth cycle (not that it’s ever that linear). It’s the in-between of being and becoming.
Transformation can feel uncomfortable, painful even. Often, we are awakening through the process and through this heightened awareness, we start to sense our own patterns. You may begin to notice things about yourself that you don’t like. It’s not that you haven’t done these things before, but for the first time you may be aware of your own shortcomings. Think of this renewed awareness as an opportunity to shift the patterns that do not serve you.
Give yourself grace to make refinements as needed. This is part of the growth process and is nothing to be ashamed of. Awareness is only the first step, then you are able to take action and make conscious change. How will you show up in the world next time? You get to decide, and you may surprise yourself.
Nature is constantly transforming, and we are no different. In fact, many plants thrive once they have been pruned – it takes a trim of the edges, and dropping what does not serve the plant, to allow space for more growth.
People who experience midlife, and even quarter-life, crises show us a strong example of transformation in full force. It’s because one way or another, your truth is coming for you. It may feel intrusive, unwelcome or uncomfortable at first.
Don’t fear the transition. it’s part of the process, whether it’s painful at the time or purely blissful. It’s your truest expression shining through. It manifests like cracks in the pavement – it’s not that the foundation is broken… remember that it’s the Earth below, what has always been there, breaking through.
You will always find your truth, whether you seek it or it comes crashing into you, because it’s innate. It’s natural. It’s your reason for being.
Understand that you are perfect at your core, yet, you are capable of change, growth and transmutation. This is part of our process to strip away the layers and return to ourselves. You are a powerful being, waiting to be let out, excused, allowed to shine through.
The transformative journey is a continuous one, and usually entails ongoing work to truly transmute the energy and feel a shift in your life. However, sometimes we just need a few minutes to get out of our heads, and that can be a lot easier than we may expect. I want to leave you with a few tools to help you along your journey.
3 Easy Ways to Feel Better Right Now – That Aren’t Meditation
You can try these three easy methods almost anywhere and feel the positive effect in under 5 minutes.
1. Breathe.
This is the simplest advice I can give you and it’s honestly the thing you know how to do best – you’ve been doing it all your life. For real though, the breath is your most powerful tool. It’s the life hack you’ve been ignoring for too long. There are tons of breathing exercises you can do, but let’s keep it simple. Try this: Inhale into the nose deeply for 4 counts, filling the chest, rib cage, and the entire belly. Hold the inhale for 4 counts. Exhale deeply out of the mouth for 4 even counts. Do this for at least 5 cycles. Then it’s up to you to extend this practice with longer counts, more cycles, or whatever feels best for you.
2. Shake.
Literally, shake your body. Vibrate, jump, kick your feet, jiggle everything. This super fun and healing exercise is effective because your physical body and energetic body are intrinsically connected. The physical body holds onto pent up energy, often resulting in chronic pains and stagnation in the body. Animals often shake to release tension and resettle, and naturally humans are programmed to do it, too. This is like the opposite of meditation with a very similar effect, and likely in less time. If shaking feels weird at first, put on your favorite tunes and shake to the music. This way it feels more like dancing (which it kind of is!). Try this for 2 minutes to start, and extend as you’d like. Let go of your inhibitions and find what feels good. You really can’t do this practice wrong.
3. Journal.
Grab paper and a pen, and tell it to the page. You don’t need any rules for journaling, but if you are wondering how to start, try this: challenge yourself to write continuously until you fill at least one full page. Maybe top that page with a question such as, “how do I feel right now, and why?” and from there, rage on the page. Often, the answers you seek will come from within once you open the doors for this awareness to enter. Journaling is a personal favorite of mine, and a regular journaling practice has worked wonders for my mental health and spiritual practice. If you are in need of release, consider burning the page after you’ve written to let go of what is no longer serving you (just be safe doing this!).
***Bonus*** Call a friend or loved one to talk. Sometimes, what we can’t immediately work through ourselves requires a trusted source to help us navigate the process. Seeing a therapist is also a way to seek this type of support and can be a safe space for healing on a deeper level.
Of course, if you are experiencing serious anxiety, depression or living with any other mental illness, please seek a professional for assistance.
I wish you the best on your ongoing transformative journey.
