Why personal transformation can feel slow even when you’refollowing your purpose
Today, while driving, I received a clear and simple download that I felt called to share. Sometimes messages arrive for us personally, but they often hold something universal, something that can support others who are walking a similar path.
The message came in response to a question I’ve been sitting with around my recent transition into full-time coaching and astrology.
Lately, I’ve been feeling more tired than I expected. Not terrible, but noticeably fatigued. And because my body has always been my tuning fork, I pay attention when it speaks. My intuition works through my body. It tells me when I’m aligned, and it tells me when something is off.
The expectation I had was that stepping fully into work I love would feel energizing. I had left a role that was draining my nervous system and moved into something deeply aligned with my soul. So when my body didn’t immediately feel better, I had to ask: Why am I tired if this is truly my path?
The answer came through very clearly.
You are doing the new thing.
But you’re doing it the way the old version of you would.
I realized that while I had physically stepped into a new role, I was still operating with old patterns. The version of me that worked through lunch, delayed basic needs, answered one more email before resting, and equated productivity with worth… That version was still quietly running the day.
That old version of me was effective. She got a lot done. She was successful. But she did so at the expense of her body, her nervous system, and her health.
So while I had one foot in the new, aligned work, the other foot was still planted in an outdated way of operating.
This insight isn’t judgmental. It is simply information.
I was shown that I won’t fully experience the relief of the new path until I embody the new version of myself. Not just in what I do, but in how I do it.
The practice I was guided toward was simple:
Sit down and clearly define the new version of me.
What does she wear?
How does she structure her day?
How does she take breaks?
How does she approach clients, emails, meetings, and rest?
And then, gently notice where the old patterns are still running the show.
This reflection isn’t about criticism. It’s about honest, compassionate awareness. Growth, spiritual or professional, requires that kind of honesty. Not to shame ourselves, but to see clearly.
If you’re stepping into something new and wondering why things don’t feel as different as you expected, it may be worth asking:
Where am I still operating from the old version of myself?
And what would it take for me to become the person I am aspiring to be?
Sometimes the work isn’t about pushing forward.
It’s about letting the old way stay behind. Integrated.
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