Advice for Travelers on the Transformational Journey

Even when you don’t realize change is happening, it is. And, over time, the transformational journey can take an emotional and physical toll.

Yes, it’s all good! But be aware that your efforts to change may create a need for self-care. If you take care of yourself and acknowledge your progress, you’ll get to your destination more quickly and easily. Plus, you’ll enjoy the trip.

The Ongoing Transformational Journey

I’ve been on a transformational journey that started in my mid-20s. That journey has not been without detours, wrong turns, and time spent sitting at stoplights—or in traffic jams that delayed me for years.

In October 2020, I plotted a new route and jumped on “the transformational path” again. Since then, I have been intensely working on my personal and spiritual growth.

I’m trying to make significant changes. They include standing in and acting from personal power, feeling safe speaking honestly to those I love, being willing to care for and love myself, trusting spiritual guidance, and living joyfully. Additionally, my transformation includes stepping back into my identity as a writer and author.

You are in the Process of Change

To you, some of these changes may seem tiny or enormous. And you might want to change things that are entirely different—like healing your body, stopping addictive behavior, changing a career, or getting out of an abusive relationship.

No matter what you want to change, know this: When you “work on yourself,” you step into the process of change. That process results in transformation, or the state of being transformed.

While the results are amazing and make you feel great, you may find yourself feeling like you need a break before you get where you want to go. It is okay to visit a rest stop along the way. That’s why rest stops exist.

Resting for a bit does not mean you have stopped for good or will never get back on the road to your transformation. In fact, that rest will help you make it to your destination.

Allow Yourself to Rest

Just this past week, I noticed I felt tired. That’s unusual for me. I considered all the things I’ve been working on for the last seven or more months. These include the habits I’ve formed, differences in my mindset and behavior, as well as changes still in process.

“Wow,” I thought. “I’ve been working really hard on me. And I’ve made some big and small changes. No wonder I feel tired!”

I realized it was time for some self-care—another change. I need to love myself enough to slow down, pull over at a rest stop, and allow myself to rest.

Be Kind to Yourself

Every day, I meet with people who desire transformation. Whether these are one-on-one Certified High Performance Coaching clients or members of the Inspired Creator Community, they are all in the process of change. Even my Author Coaching are changing, whether they realize it or not.

At some point, however, like me, many of them start to feel tired…and even a little discouraged. After all, change doesn’t usually happen in the blink of an eye—just like you don’t arrive at your destination instantaneously. And often, your internal engine is in overdrive or recalibrating, even though you aren’t aware of that fact.

If you are on a transformational journey and can relate, I want to give you the same advice I gave myself this week: Be kind to yourself.

Take Care of Yourself

If you let yourself get overly tired, transformation takes longer. Change becomes a struggle. If you allow yourself to rest, though, you will find your shifts happening faster and more easily.

Take good care of yourself. Don’t get to the point in your transformational journey where you feel like you must pull over and find a motel, rent a room, crawl into bed, and stay under the covers for days before you can safely get back on the road. If you are at that point now…okay…do that for a day or two, but it’s best to avoid exhaustion.

Take a break to:

• Soak in a bathtub.
• Meditate.
• Sit quietly in nature.
• Sleep—at least eight hours per night.
• Eat a healthy meal.
• Do something fun.

When I get tired and feel worn out, I want to consume crap. I don’t have a lot of unhealthy food in my pantry anymore. Still, I definitely feel the urge to eat chips and guacamole or the entire box of Annie’s chocolate graham cracker bunnies. If I had ice cream in the house, I’d eat it for sure…or potato chips! And if we had food delivery where I live, which we don’t, I’d order pizza.

I also want to sit on the couch and veg out with hours of movies or Netflix series. I don’t want to think or do anything important or that requires thought.

These are not good choices if I want to take care of myself. Nor are they good choices for you.

Instead of numbing out with junk food or sweets, alcohol, or Amazon Prime, fix yourself an amazingly healthy meal. Plan an evening soaking in the bathtub as you listen to soothing music. Find a place where you can just stare at the ocean or trees. Have a nap in your hammock, or sit in your jacuzzi or a sauna.

Get quiet.

Be with yourself.

Engage in proper self-care.

Keep Track of Your Transformation

Don’t forget to keep track of what’s changing. Make a list of the transformation that has already happened. Are you now a nonsmoker or a person with a consistent morning routine, for example? Have you cut out sugar or started a daily exercise habit?

I forget to list the changes I accomplish, which makes it hard to track my transformation or understand why I am tired!

When I look back over the last seven months, I can see that I now:

• Wake up when the alarm goes off rather than hitting the snooze button.
• Complete a hypnosis process twice daily.
• Exercise daily.
• Read in bed most nights.
• Write or work on a book project more consistently.
• Enjoy my writing.
• Speak honestly to my husband.
• Stand up for myself.
• Feel happier.
• Tap into guidance more often.
• Engage in daily spiritual rituals.

These are things I wasn’t doing seven months ago. I have, indeed, transformed in many ways, but I wouldn’t see that clearly—or acknowledge the changes—if I didn’t list them.

Acknowledge Your Transformation

You are not only on the transformational path but making progress! You are no longer sitting with your vehicle in park. You put your foot on the gas and moved forward.

Acknowledge yourself and the results of your transformational efforts. And don’t say, “I’ve tried to change but not changed yet.” Just the awareness that you need or want to change represents change.

Pat yourself on the back! Give yourself credit for changing—even a little. And then reward yourself.

A break filled with self-care can be a reward in and of itself. Or maybe you want to do something fun, buy yourself a gift, or sit and read a book.

It’s all good if it feels good!

Something IS Changing

If you’ve been on a transformational journey, you’ve changed in some way over the last six months. Sometimes it seems like nothing has changed—that you are not changing. Know that the times when your progress slows are often when the most change is happening.

Also, when you’re tired and feel like you just can’t move one step forward on the transformational path, that’s likely when a significant change is about to occur. In fact, it is happening…underneath your “hood.”

Acknowledge that change is happening all the time. You can speed up that change or slow it down. You can stop and have a rest when you feel the need. You are in the driver’s seat. And you can ask your GPS to recalibrate and offer new directions, if necessary.

You’ve embarked on the journey of your life. Transformation is why you are here.

How do you care for yourself when the transformational journey feels tough? Tell me in a comment below. And please share this post with a friend.