Welcome to the allure of the easy answer brought to you by Create the Calm.
Before we get started,
Take a moment to settle in.
Let your body rest comfortably and let your breath find its natural rhythm.
Feel the support beneath you.
Now,
Let yourself arrive in this moment.
When life feels uncertain or overwhelming,
It's normal to wish for something simple,
A solution,
A person,
Or a moment that will make everything okay again.
That wish is natural.
It's how our bodies and minds try to feel safe.
But real safety doesn't come from an easy answer.
It comes from being present with reality,
Even when it's uncomfortable.
As you breathe,
Notice the feeling of wanting relief.
Let yourself feel it fully without trying to change it.
Simply observe.
This is your first step in opening to what is real.
Throughout history,
People have often looked for easy explanations when life gets hard.
They want to find someone or something to blame.
They tell themselves it's their fault.
We are the victims.
If only they would change something,
Everything would be better.
These stories are comforting.
They give a sense of control.
They make us feel strong.
But what we don't often realize is that these stories,
While comforting,
Keep us stuck.
They make us believe that the answer or the power is somewhere outside of us.
They tell us that someone else,
A leader or a movement,
Will come and fix everything.
That they will defeat the bad and bring back the good.
And for a while that can make us feel strong and hopeful,
In charge and in control.
But in truth,
It's the opposite.
It's us giving away our power.
When we depend on someone else to fix things or when we try to take back power by blaming or attacking them,
It can feel like we're strong.
But in truth,
We're still giving our power away because real strength comes from facing what's inside us rather than projecting it onto someone else.
And as history has shown,
The kind of restoration that comes from someone else's power never lasts,
Because it isn't built on inner change.
This pattern has appeared many times around the world.
In Germany before World War II,
Economic hardship and loss of national pride created a hunger for someone to blame and someone to save them and restore to them their promised glory.
In Rwanda in 1994,
Ethnic tensions,
Fear and historical grievances were manipulated to justify violence against neighbors.
In Cambodia during Khmer Rouge period,
Fear and the desire for a utopian society led to catastrophic destruction.
Even in more recent times,
Political movements in various countries have capitalized on fear,
Division and blame,
Offering simple solutions to very complex problems,
Usually by pointing the finger at someone else.
The reason I mention this is not to point fingers at someone.
These aren't failures of one person or one nation.
These are human patterns,
Reminders of what happens when fear and blame are allowed to grow without self-awareness.
This isn't just history.
It happens in our own lives,
In our communities and in ourselves.
Whenever we think,
If only they would change,
I'd be okay,
We're handing our power to something outside of ourselves.
And even if the other person,
Group or system changes,
If we haven't grown inside,
The same problems will appear again.
The deeper problem isn't the system,
The money or the politics.
It's our human fear,
Greed and sense of not being enough.
Greed isn't about money.
It's about wanting power to fill an emptiness.
Fear isn't just about danger.
It's about trying to control what we can't face inside ourselves.
The easy answer promises relief from these feelings,
But it doesn't address them.
True change requires facing what's inside.
Transformation doesn't come from blaming someone else or wanting a savior.
It comes from turning inward,
Noticing our own patterns and asking,
Where am I avoiding responsibility?
Where am I giving my power away?
Systems,
Leaders and rules are mirrors.
They reflect what's happening inside us.
Change that starts with awareness and responsibility lasts.
Change that only targets the outside can't.
The easy answer will always seem tempting,
Especially when life feels hard,
But real freedom comes from staying present.
Even when it's uncomfortable and meeting what's true about ourselves.
That is where real growth begins.
Now let's pause a moment and practice what that feels like in our bodies.
Take a slow breath in and a long breath out.
Let your body soften and your mind settle.
Think of a situation that feels difficult,
Unfair or overwhelming.
It might be in your personal life or your work or just the world in general.
Notice the feelings that come up.
Frustration,
Worry,
Anger,
Sadness.
All of them are okay.
There are signals pointing to what needs attention.
Now ask yourself quietly,
What do I hope will happen if this changes?
Listen for the first answer,
Even if it's simple or messy.
Perhaps you want peace,
Recognition or relief.
Notice it without judging it.
Now ask,
What would I have to feel if this didn't change?
And sit with the feelings that come up,
Maybe disappointment or fear or grief.
Let yourself feel them fully.
You don't have to fix anything right now.
Then gently invite your subconscious to show you something about yourself connected to this situation.
You might see an image,
Feel a sensation or hear a word.
Trust what comes.
Ask what am I being shown about my part in this pattern?
What is the deeper need beneath my desire for an easy answer?
If heavy emotions arise,
That is completely normal.
When we see ourselves honestly,
Sometimes it can stir sadness,
Fear or grief.
These feelings aren't a sign of weakness,
They are a sign of growth.
Take a few slow breaths and imagine holding these feelings with compassion.
Say quietly to yourself,
I see you,
I understand why you've been protecting me.
Thank you for showing me what's real.
Stay with these impressions for a few moments.
Notice how it feels to simply observe your inner world without needing to change it,
Without needing to find an answer.
When you feel ready,
Open your eyes if they were closed or return your awareness to your surroundings.
Consider these reflection questions either in writing or quietly in your mind.
What part of me still wants an easy answer?
And what is that part trying to protect?
What problems that I see out there might actually be showing me something about myself?
How could I take responsibility for my part instead of waiting for someone else to change?
What emotions come up when I face uncertainty or discomfort and how can I care for them?
What small step could I take today to reclaim my power from outside sources and stand in my own truth?
Remember,
Growth isn't easy but it is freeing.
Each time you resist the easy answer,
You strengthen your connection to your own inner power.
Let's pause a moment to reflect on what we've done here today.
You've just done some deep inner work and it's normal if you feel some heaviness or tenderness.
These feelings aren't obstacles,
They're signs that your inner landscape is opening up for healing.
If strong emotions have arisen,
I invite you to join my class,
Transforming Heavy Emotions,
Where we work safely with feelings just like these and learn how to move them with awareness and compassion.
If this session has been meaningful,
I also invite you to follow Create the Calm here on Insight Timer.
By following,
You'll be notified when new classes,
Practices,
And reflections are released,
All designed to help you meet life with clarity,
Courage,
And heart.
The easy answer may seem tempting,
But freedom and growth come only from facing what is real,
Staying present,
And reclaiming your own power.
Take a final,
Deep breath in,
And a long breath out.
You are exactly where you need to be right now.
