Often times taking care of yourself means listening to the things you don't want to listen to. Facing truths you'd rather not face. Doing things you'd rather not do because, to be honest, it’s just way easier to keep doing the things you've always done rather than do the one thing we all know we must do:

Change.

We are the products of circumstance, sure, but we are also the product of our decisions within those circumstances. Where we are today, is a direct result of every little decision we’ve made within our given landscape. If you don't like where you are, it would make sense to stop making the same decisions. Right?

But it's not that simple.

Old habits are hard to break. Old thought patterns, even harder. Odd as it sounds, often times we’d rather choose to suffer the consequences of making the same old mistakes rather than change, because at least that way, we have certainty, and we love certainty.

So much to the point where it could prevent us from ever stepping out into the unknown to try and make things better. For good reason, we’re afraid to make things even worse. Better not rock the boat when you feel like you’re already sinking. Right?

We are creatures born into a landscape that is not of our choosing, but it is our actions that then solidify our position within that landscape. To improve your life, not only do you have to change your actions, you must be consistent enough so that your immediate landscape can then break and accommodate the new you that you are trying to create. This naturally breeds resistance. Even resentment. From others. And from yourself.

But if it means taking better care of yourself and living a better life, I think it's pain worth fighting for. You want those growing pains. You want to face those truths. You want to have the difficult conversations. Because through the darkness and gloom, there is a greater, stronger you to be found. Isn’t that worth going into the unknown? Isn’t that worth a little change?

What are some hard truths you’ve been neglecting? Some areas in your life you’ve been running away from? Consider the fact that the answers you seek lie exactly where you do not want to look.

by Jason Lam