Just Wait: Embracing Life’s Contractions to Make Space for Joy
We often associate growth and progress with constant movement, constant expansion. But what if the most transformative parts of life happen when we’re still, when we’re paused, pulled inward, or perched at our edge?
I’ve been reflecting on this idea lately, especially as I observe patterns in nature. Everything, from a butterfly in its cocoon to a sprouting seed in the windowsill, undergoes a period of resistance before release. A Monarch pushing against its silky casing doesn’t emerge instantly. An avocado pit cracks slowly before new life peeks through. Constriction, then expansion—it’s a universal rhythm. And it’s not limited to the natural world. We live it too.
The Power of Constriction
In Western cultures, there’s an ingrained discomfort with contraction. We’re often taught to resist feelings of heaviness, sadness, or uncertainty. Culturally, we value forward motion—more, faster, better. But in doing so, we overlook the quiet power of life’s slower seasons.
Constriction isn’t failure. It’s not the opposite of growth—it’s a part of it. It’s the pause between breaths, the stillness before change. When life tightens around us—through loss, grief, doubt, or stagnation—it can feel endless. But if we allow ourselves to just wait, to be with it, something remarkable starts to happen.
“This Too Shall Pass” as integral to Inner-Mastery
When you deeply know that every contraction is temporary, your experience shifts. Even in hard seasons—whether you’re managing burnout, going through a breakup, or facing personal loss—holding the awareness that “this too shall pass” adds lightness to the heaviness. It generates personal strength.
There’s no bypassing pain, but there is power in perspective. Some days are easier. Some moments, even in the darkest chap
Living Life on Life’s Terms
True emotional resilience comes when we stop resisting what is. Instead of fighting discomfort or wishing for something different, we meet life where it is—fully, honestly. This doesn’t mean we become passive. It means we get real. We engage with the truth of our experiences without running from them.
Over time, this builds what I can only describe as an unshakable core. Not loud or performative strength—but quiet, lived-in resilience. You begin to understand: only the patterns you face without flinching are the ones you can grow beyond.
Presence: The Key to Lightness and Joy
As this way of being becomes part of your life, a surprising thing happens. Joy and lightness begin to show up—not because your circumstances are perfect, but because you’re not fighting them anymore.
You begin to experience life as it is, not as you wish it were. And that creates freedom.
As author Michael Singer says, “You should be experiencing the life that’s happening to you, not the one you wish was happening.” When you realize that billions of events and choices led to this exact moment, fighting it starts to feel like punching the wind.
So instead… just wait. Watch. Breathe. Let the moment unfold. Because sometimes, the deepest growth doesn’t come from pushing forward—but from surrendering to what’s already here.
