Choose Your Catalyst: Inspiration or Desperation

You change either out of inspiration or desperation.

Oh to be the person who changes out of inspiration—wouldn’t that be nice? But from what I’ve observed, those people are few and far between. Most people only change when life forces them to. When the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the fear of doing something different.

I used to chase inspiration. Especially in the spiritual world. I read all the books. I filled my feeds with quotes. I theoretically understood how life was supposed to work.

But theory doesn’t change your life. Practice does. Experience does.

Most people go their whole lives without changing—not because they don’t want to, but because comfort is seductive. Familiarity feels like safety. For years, my entire existence was work, home, TV, sleep. On repeat.

At one point, I thought it might be nice to meet someone, build a life together. I even went to a psychic to see if it was in the cards. She said, "Your soul family just shows me you going to work, coming home, going to work, coming home. So no—your life won’t change unless you do."

It should have been a wake-up call. But I didn’t change a thing. I moved cities—and continued the same routine.

It wasn’t until I dealt with gut health issues for two and a half years that no doctor or nutritionist could solve for me that I tried something I had never done before. I went to see a Master Reiki Healer. And she opened my eyes.

She told me my crown chakra was wide open—I was absorbing everything—but my bottom three chakras were basically cemented shut. She said I was deeply sensitive to the energies of others, that I connect with them, but that I never let anyone connect to me. That hit hard.  That’s me—guarded, introspective, private. I thought I was just an introvert. Now I saw the armour for what it was: protection.

That session rocked me. And for the first time, I let myself feel what years of solitude and emotional numbing had done to me. I had buried myself in TV, books, and scrolling. I told myself I was content. That I didn’t need anyone. That I liked my own company best. And in some ways, I do. But the truth is, I was hiding.  My life of “comfort” had created some very uncomfortable symptoms.

The clarity that session brought was just the beginning. I changed what I did with my time.  Instead of watching TV, I started meditating. I started journaling.  I asked myself hard questions. Why did such and such situation trigger me? What was the pattern? Where was the lesson? I made connection after connection.  Revelation after revelation.

And then it happened.

People from my past reappeared—not with casual coincidence, but with timing I know was divine. These weren’t messages from them; they were messages through them.

These weren’t random moments. They were signs that I was finally open. God, my guides, the Universe—they knew I was ready. The moment I cracked open and said enough, support showed up. Not in the way I once sought it—in books or quotes—but in real-time, real-life, heart-shifting moments.  The Universe showed up for me because I finally decided to show up for myself.

During a reading that I did for my Reiki healer, she mentioned that she often sees the same people over and over.  They tell her Make me feel good again. And Why can’t I feel this way all of the time.  I know why.  It’s because they haven’t yet had enough of the life they are living.  They aren’t open to change.  They just want a quick fix and be on their way.  It doesn’t last because the Universe is not about quick fixes.  The Universe will only show up for you when you decide to show up for yourself.

Inspiration can arrive as signs, synchronicities, or soul-deep clarity—but until you're truly ready, it's easier to choose the familiar. Not because you’re weak or unwilling, but because change asks everything of you. Sometimes it’s not until discomfort outweighs comfort that we finally say: Enough. I’m ready to show up for me.

And I get it.  But oh to be the person that changes out of inspiration.