The Bud or the Blossom?

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

-Anais Nin

We tell ourselves that playing it safe involves very little risk.

The known, however frustrating, is at least familiar. We are well acquainted with the challenges of our jobs, marriages and friendships, and continue along, rarely asking ourselves if we are actually fulfilled.  

 But, at some point, the pretense becomes unbearable. The lack of authenticity may manifest as an illness, irritability, or even self-sabotage. Oftentimes, if we do not consciously choose to end the pain, our subconscious will mercifully do the work for us. And then, we have a choice: do we remain tight in a bud or do we take the risk to blossom?

 For many of us, we might not even know what blossoming would look like. We have become so conditioned to listening to others that we have forgotten to speak to and listen to ourselves. So, that is the first step. Begin the dialogue.

 Take your time. Ask any question. Experiment with answers, and try things out. Observe yourself, and don’t judge what arises. It is a process. And as you begin to blossom and open to your true self, you will feel a freedom, a lightening of the load you have been carrying, and you will find that within you there is more courage than you ever imagined.