“The warrior of light wakes up from his sleep. He thinks: ‘I cannot bear this light that helps me grow.’ But the light does not fade. The warrior thinks: ‘Certain changes are necessary, yet I have no desire to make them.’ The light persists because willpower is a word full of tricks.”
— The Manual of the Warrior of Light, Paulo Coelho
Now you are beginning to believe in a life beyond the one you have known so far. You suspect that you can live without binge eating, without self-punishment, without physical and emotional abuse. Perhaps you are learning to say “no” when necessary and to stand up for yourself for your own benefit.
Maybe you have received an offer for the job of your dreams. Maybe you are considering leaving a troubled relationship or ending a problematic marriage. Maybe… And that scares you.
What will life be like beyond the familiar?
Even if change is for the better, it still frightens us. The familiar—whether good or bad—remains familiar and safe. As the saying goes, “Better the devil you know.”
But if we always fear the light, we will remain forever in darkness and will never truly know what life is like outside, under the sun. The only way to discover it is to dare to step into it and get used to it. Just as we once got used to living in the dark.
In the end, everything is a matter of habit.
“Then the warrior’s eyes and heart begin to adjust to the light. He is no longer afraid of it, and he starts to accept his Myth…”
— The Manual of the Warrior of Light, Paulo Coelho
