Life continuously invites us to expand the edges of our current container. Expansive moments such as a profoundly connecting with a new or beloved landscape, an aha moment that lands deeply, wisened words that take up residence in the heart, or even an experience with plant medicine such as psilocybin—each creates inner movement and an opportunity to grow.

However, when we experience moments of internal movement, our container or the patterns we have set up in our daily life no longer fit as comfortably. Something within us has expanded past its edges, or a crack begins to form the foundation of perceived safety. Returning to life, as usual, becomes a little more challenging, even painful.

Expansion can cause growing pains.

A part of us no longer wants to be contained by some of the ways we navigate life, as our soul is always beckoning us toward inner freedom. Some of these old ways have kept us small, and we can start to feel the friction as we have outgrown our container, like a shoe that doesn’t fit.

After years of experiencing these growing pains, even though I might resist them and feel frustrated by “coming down the mountain,” I know the valley has fertile ground. Each expansive experience asks us to bring the awareness gained and incorporate or integrate this back into everyday life to grow where we are planted.

An experience of expansion, without the work of integration, becomes just a moment in time. The “high” felt becomes a memory, and we are back to business as usual, and part of us goes to sleep again, as there is not enough breathing room in the current container we created. 

But here is the good news about growing pains and integration, in most cases, we are not being asked to make monumental changes but consistent subtle shifts to everyday life.  

Until we make a subtle shift, life is uncomfortable. Our soul is asking us to be aware of what part of our container is rubbing and listen.

Listen to what is needed to shift, to be let go of, nourished, or nurtured. Moments of feeling uncomfortable or frustrated—shine a light on the part of our container that needs tending to. So we listen, feel, and become curious about what subtle shifts are being asked of us and then respond with small, targeted, and consistent changes. 

This creates sustainable transformation and growth in our life. The more we listen and respond, the growth becomes a lot less painful.