More and more I’m recognizing two very distinct paths available to me and humanity right now. Of course, the paths are many, but these two seem important.
The Utopia Trap
The easy street, where external events must line up to match my belief system and I draw my comfort from seeing a world that matches and meets all of my own emotional and physical addictions.
This is that “utopia” so many people seem to think needs to arrive before they can truly thrive.
This utopia trap convinces people that something “out there” must change or look a certain way before they can be happy.
It often forgets that satisfaction comes from moving THROUGH contrast and high challenge successfully, not just having it all given on a silver platter.
Why We Love Navigation
As humans, we like to learn to navigate. Successful navigation is fun. Great navigators, exploring unmapped territory, find the greatest satisfaction in their victories.
Our reality muscles want to stay strong and do heavy lifting to showcase our own strength. They aren’t interested in the atrophy that accompanies hiding in bubbles.
So if you’re asking why life is hard, consider this: maybe you’re designed for exactly this kind of challenge.
The Catalyst Answer
Catalyst living is a more multi-dimensional approach to reality from my perspective.
Catalyst living is having an intuitive understanding that one challenging event NOW leads to an acceleration of wisdom and power LATER.
It’s about understanding the power of sacrifice: I lift weights in the gym and put my body under stress now in order to reap the increased health, awareness, and strength later.
Reality isn’t much different from going to the gym to better tune the physical body.
The Choice
From the “weavers of reality,” I can ask to be given easy, deliberate “bubble events” that make life seem comfortable but prevent me from experiencing the full spectrum of life…
Or I can ask to be shown the TRUTH of my reality, no matter how heinous, odd, or uncomfortable, KNOWING that experiencing the full truth of life will allow me to become more effective within ALL scenarios, not just fabricated realities that can only exist as parasites on life as a whole.
Why I No Longer Advocate Utopia
Utopias lack the required contrast to inspire growth and innovation of body, mind, and soul. It’s one reason I no longer advocate for them or for some kind of eternal, unchanging “heaven.”
Everything is always in flux. The universe is always eating itself to inspire new growth.
I’m interested in infinite potential and expansion, not comfortable mediocrity.
The Mirror of Reality
I see reality as a mirror which will ultimately show me my own emotional addictions, help inspire me to overcome them, and finally allow me to connect fully with truth (not comfort masquerading as truth), all while providing me with an expansion of wisdom to actually handle the truth effectively when it presents itself.
Catalyst living is about learning to grow in courage and step into all aspects of life fully, rather than hiding in a bubble of my own creation.
Hiding in a comfortable bunker and fooling myself into thinking that’s living isn’t something I want to explore.
I’m interested in learning to successfully walk through Lions’ Dens and doing it masterfully.
I struggle and am not always able to tread flawlessly, but I’m massively alive and expanded in every moment.
How about you?
This is shadow work in action.
If you’re ready to use challenges as fuel, explore the Shadow Work practices.
Godspeed.