My Death and Resurrection

I was dead.

I didn’t even know it. Okay, sure, I was alive. Like my heart was beating and I was breathing…but I was dead. I was dead to my surroundings, to my desires, to my wants, to my preferences, to my dreams…dead to myself. Somewhere along the way, I had died.

It’s not that I wanted this. It’s not that I intended for this to happen. At some point, I had unconsciously decided that it was just easier and better to go along with other people’s wants and dreams (maybe even others’ wants and dreams for me) and float on the waves of life. I had unconsciously decided that if I just “closed my eyes” and fell asleep to life, if I could somehow blend in and become invisible, and make no impact on life, that life would somehow be better, easier, and more peaceful with less struggle and strife.

Peace. That’s all I wanted. Peace in and with myself. Peace with others. Peace with all. I simply wanted to keep the peace.

But, sadly, the peace I was experiencing all this time wasn’t REAL peace, it was just me avoiding any kind of conflict. I would even tend to ignore (often unconsciously) any problems that would threaten to disturb my sense of calm, peace, and harmony.

And this fake peace came at a high cost: my hopes, my dreams, my desires…me.

But the waves of my life became too choppy to keep sleeping; an unavoidable and significant life challenge has awoken me. I need to make choices. I need to assert myself. I need to know what I want (or even prefer!). I need to wake up to myself.

It’s been difficult. It’s been painful. But, honestly, this challenge has been a blessing. It has been my wakeup call.

How long would I have gone on trying to be invisible? Trying not to make an impact or disturb myself or others? Had it not been for these choppy waters, how long would I have stayed “dead”? 1 year? 5 years? A decade? The rest of my life? (It’s scary to think about the waste of life.)

If I don’t come alive and share my “death and resurrection” experience, how many other people would unknowingly sacrifice themselves on the alter of false peace?

Are you sacrificing yourself for “peace”?

Do you ignore problems, preferring the short-term fake peace in your ignorance, blindness, and detachment, over the long-term true peace created by your participation, direction, and contribution?

Are you a peace-keeper or a peace-maker?

Are you alive to your desires, hopes, dreams, even your preferences?

Is it time for you to rise again?

Please don’t be like me and wait for choppy water to shake you back to life. Choose life now! Start with The 42 Day Choice Challenge, come alive in your life, and create real peace, harmony, and happiness.

Here’s to conquering stress,

The Stress Experts