When They Say It's "Just a Phase"
What if the 'phase' they see... is actually my awakening?
You're doing the work. You're diving deep, healing old wounds, and actively choosing to evolve. Maybe you've shifted your priorities, changed your habits, or started setting boundaries that feel revolutionary to you. It's a profound, often difficult, and deeply personal journey.
But then, sometimes, you encounter it. That subtle (or not-so-subtle) resistance from the people around you…
"Oh, it's just a phase"
"You'll snap out of it"
"Are you sure about this? You're not usually like this"
They might say it out loud, with a dismissive wave of the hand or a concerned furrow of the brow. Or maybe you just feel it – that unspoken judgment, the quiet disbelief that this "new you" could possibly be real or lasting. They might genuinely believe you're going through a temporary blip, or perhaps, on some level, they’re uncomfortable with the idea that people can truly change. It can be jarring, even painful, when your profound transformation is reduced to a fleeting trend.
And here’s the truth: your healing journey doesn't have to make sense to anyone but you. It doesn't need external validation, permission, or understanding. It's not a performance for their approval. This path you're on, this shedding of old skins and stepping into new light, is intensely personal. The only people who might truly grasp the depth of what you're doing are those who are walking a similar path themselves.
We live in a world that, ironically, can cling to the past versions of us. It’s as if once we're "known" for a certain way of being, any deviation is viewed with suspicion. But guess what? We are not static beings. We are not meant to be frozen in time, forever repeating the patterns of who we once were.
Think about it. Are you the same person you were a year ago? Five years ago? Hopefully not entirely. Growth is inevitable if we allow it. And while some people seem to resist change with every fiber of their being, living as if stuck in amber, that doesn't have to be your story.
But what if you are the one saying it?
What if, deep down, you're whispering to yourself, "This is just a phase. It'll pass. I'm just tired, or stressed, or didn't eat right?”. What if you're chalking up those undeniable shifts, those uncomfortable truths, to mere temporary inconveniences?
Perhaps, in doing so, you're missing an extraordinary opportunity. An opportunity to truly see this moment for what it is… a chance to grow, to transform, to learn, and to do things profoundly differently. Maybe this isn't just a blip on the radar, maybe this is the crossroads.
It doesn't have to be the kind of rock bottom that shatters and destroys you, leaving you in pieces. Maybe it's the kind where your tippy-toes just graze the bottom, enough for you to feel the solid ground and push off. Enough for you to realize you have a choice.
Because when we choose to believe that what we're experiencing is temporary, that it's "just a phase" we risk muting that inner voice that's trying to speak to us. We risk losing the unique perspective we have right now – the clarity that allows us to see and do things differently.
Why do we try so hard to convince ourselves that our own reality isn't real? What happens when we let ourselves stay idle, letting weeks and months drift by? Is that where we stay, bobbing aimlessly in the water, waiting for something, for someone, for other people or the seasons to change our course?
And then, time moves on. And that so-called "phase" you thought would dissipate? It hasn't. It's still here.
At what point do we simply accept it? At what point do we wake up to this reality, accept it, own it, and honor it? What you're going through doesn't have to make sense to other people. It doesn't matter if they believe you, understand you, or validate you.
What matters is that it is true to you. And that, my friend, is all the permission you need to keep going.
You're not in a phase. You're in a metamorphosis. And it's magnificent.
Countering Complacency is about recognizing the subtle drift in an unlived life, challenging the question “is this all there is?” and reclaiming your vibrant self buried beneath expectations. It's an ongoing journey of awakening and authenticity. If you liked this, let me know below. Every bit of your support means a lot!