Rough Spots – You Learn the Most

Every human gestates in the (uterus) womb specifically designed to bring a new life into the world. The majority of humans come into life through the vagina, a.k.a. birth canal. The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus/womb to the exterior of the female body.

Vaginal child birth is categorized in three stages of labor: the shortening and dilation of the cervix, descent and birth of the infant and birth of the placenta. The vaginal tract expands to a degree, however, there is a sense of being in a tight squeeze as the infant moves through the fibromuscular tubular tract, ‘birth canal.’

When you are birthing a project or personal growth you might have a sense of going through a tight squeeze. Like an infant’s birthing process, projects/goals have three stages – beginning, middle and end. It is in the rough spots along the way that people want to escape the hard labor.

Escaping is easy; holding one’s convictions for success is difficult. You need to learn how to navigate in a new way. It is in the rough spots that you learn how to manage the frustrations and hard work that come with life and the achievement of goals.

Pema Chodron, an American Buddhist teacher calls this, ‘The Squeeze.” Whether one is going through the birth canal to achieve life, itself, or one is working on birthing personal growth or a goal, one needs to stick to one’s convictions. Chodrom defines ‘The Squeeze” as “a point where we are not able to take it or leave it, where we are caught between a rock and a hard place, caught with both the up-lift of our ideas and the rawness of what’s transpiring in front of our eyes…” and, that she says, “is a very fruitful place.”

It is in the rough spots that you learn the most. Keeping this in mind will assist you to feel less alone, because you are not the only one who feels ‘The Squeeze.’ There are many energy forces and changes pulsing through the Universe at every level. It goes without, saying, you are part of the growing process and the growing pains.

You need to remember that birthing life or achieving goals is only three phases and that each phase will inevitably move to the next phase when you persevere. It is forgetting that perseverance pays off and being discouraged that creates ‘The Squeeze’ to be more onerous.

When you feel overwhelmed you can comfort yourself with the wise saying, “This too shall pass.” Some people remind themselves that ‘Hard work never hurt anyone.’

True growth and goal achievement causes you to expand your life. Growth is rarely ever easy or a cake walk – albeit might seem that it is for others. Yet, they are peddling fast beneath the water (a.k.a. behind the scene). Growth and goal achievement, although rarely easy, it is fruitful and worth the labor – travail.