Do you ever feel like you’re stuck hitting your head against a hard surface struggling to get through to the other side?
I felt that way this morning as I strained to conjure up an idea for today’s blog.
I wrote one but it didn’t feel right. It wasn’t inspired.
So I took my own advice and went for a walk with the dogs along the river. I asked for inspiration.
Spirit answered my plea for help.
On my walk I noticed a plant growing right through the black top. You can see from the photo how it pushed its way through by heaving up hard paved road.
Rock crumbled through the efforts of a little plant.
That’s impressive.
I’ve never noticed this plant before. Others were growing nearby in the dirt. They didn’t have to work nearly as hard to come into the light. I felt an affinity for this little plant working so hard to grow and reach the light.
I looked closer and touched the plant. You might think this was a stiff, hard plant to come up through pavement this way. Not so. It was actually soft, hollow in the middle and very flexible. It reminded me of bamboo. A little research revealed this plant is likely Horsetail, an invasive species which sends out a gazillion rhizomes making it difficult to stop it from spreading. Even though invasive, this plant has many healing properties.
Of course the symbolism of this mighty little plant wasn’t lost on me.
In my experience, growth comes as we finally break through our toughest challenges.
That place where you feel stuck, like you’re hitting your head against pavement is when you’re closest to reaching the light.
Once you reach the light you blossom into your beautiful, strong and resilient self.
Even when this plant appears to be stagnant, little shoots are being sent out in all directions getting ready to burst into life.
When you feel stuck, trust that like this little plant, movement is taking place. You’re preparing for a big break through.
Though the little plant appeared to be on its own, it was connected to a community of plants all supporting its growth.
We too do best when we are supported by a like minded community.
Flexibility allowed this plant to find weaknesses in the pavement so it could break through.
Your flexibility will serve you too.
I suspect this plant never got upset because the pavement was there.
It didn’t see the pavement as punishment or bad luck.
It didn’t wonder why it had to go through the pavement and others didn’t.
The pavement was just something that needed to be moved in order to make it to the other side…
to the light…
so it could grow uninhibited.
We too can adopt this mindset.
Obstacles have much less power to stop us when we can view them as part of the path. They’re something we need to go through to get to the other side. How much suffering we experience as a result is ultimately up to us.
All that feels difficult for you right now is in some way making you stronger, helping you grow towards the light.
If you’re hitting your head on the pavement, remember you’re VERY CLOSE to your breakthrough.
Now is not the time to give up.
Now is the time to release your resistance and see the pavement crumble.
If anxiety has you stuck, join me Saturday, June 13th from 9 am to 11 am in Amherst, WI as I share how to Stop Anxiety from Stopping You.
If you live outside of Central Wisconsin, I can support you through one-on-one mentoring. Sign up here for a no cost Discovery Session (a $247 value) about how to break through your pavement.