We’ve painted renewal in a warm, inviting light.
But there’s a dark side: real renewal isn’t always comfortable, maybe as far as most
of the time, renewal makes you want to crawl out of your skin or distract yourself with the closest thing possible.
When you finally slow down after months (years?) of constant motion, we’ll eventually get hit with uncomfortable realities.
The relationship issues you’ve been too busy to notice. The career path that no longer aligns with your values. The emotional patterns you’ve been outrunning through productivity.
Most people abandon their renewal practice when this happens. They rush back to the comfortable numbness of busyness, mistaking discomfort for failure.
Who wouldn’t? We’re creatures of comfort. But growth takes effort, even if it’s uncomfortable.
This effort is precisely when renewal is working—not failing.
The most transformative renewal happens when you’re willing to stay with the discomfort that emerges in the quiet.
To resist the urge to distract yourself when difficult emotions arise.
To face the questions you’ve been avoiding through constant activity.
Think of it like cleaning a cluttered room. The mess initially gets worse as you pull everything out of the closets and from under the bed. Only by facing the full extent of the clutter can you create true order.
Your mind works the same way.
It’s just not totally about the pleasant meditations, the restorative yoga, and all that fun stuff. It’s also about developing the capacity to be with whatever arises when we stop the “go, go, go”.
This requires a different kind of strength than powering through a 70-hour work week, something called emotional courage.
Here’s the paradox: The moments of renewal that feel the worst often yield the greatest transformation.
So when your renewal practice brings up restlessness, boredom, anxiety, or painful insights—don’t abandon it. Don’t immediately fill the space. Instead, get curious. These uncomfortable visitors often carry the most valuable messages.
Ask yourself questions like what am I avoiding by staying busy? What truth is trying to emerge in this space?
Remember: True renewal isn’t just about feeling better in the moment. It’s about creating space for your authentic self to emerge.
The most powerful renewal doesn’t just recharge you for more of the same. It transforms who you are and what you’re creating with your life.
Face your fear of what is waiting for you in the quiet.
Joe DiAndrea 