Until we understand that taking care of our own mental health is neither selfish nor optional, we will continue to live in fight, flight, or freeze. We will exist in perpetual fear, anxiety, and worry.

This is sad for many reasons, but perhaps the worst of it is that we believe we cannot change a pattern that is seemingly imposed on us. In other words, life itself is making our lives impossible.

We declare with certainty and frustration, “None of this is my fault! I’m unhappy, because of COVID, politics, my job, my kids, my lack of money,” and so on.

Only when we can become unconditional in our ability to find ease and joy will we free ourselves of the toxic chaos. This does not mean life suddenly becomes easy or the demands let up. Actually, the external conditions around us probably remain much the same. What does begin to happen, however, is as we are able to shift our energy and focus, we begin to see even the usual challenges of our lives differently.

We decide that life is not doing anything to us, but rather, it is working for us. How? Because we are not seeking change “out there.” We are inviting elevated thoughts and perspectives from in ourselves. And then, so within, so without. It is law.

All creation occurs in contrast, adversity, breaking open. The question is, will we choose to fight against what we are being called to create, or will we flow with it? Will we insist we’re right in all we see that’s “wrong” and thus reject the opportunity to grow? Or will we surrender, release resistance, assume the wings of evolution, and fly?