Right now, I feel like death. Not a physical death, but the death of my old self—the part of me that believed something or someone outside could fix me. It’s a heavy, suffocating feeling, but it’s necessary. This isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of renewal.

True transformation requires courage, the kind that makes you sit with the unbearable. The old self clings to its patterns, seeking comfort in distractions, false beliefs, and unhealthy habits. But none of it works. Deep down, we know this. And that realization feels like death—a death of everything familiar, even if it was hurting us.

The truth is, renewal only comes when we let that old self die. It’s painful, but within that pain lies the promise of something new: courage, self-love, self-worth, and self-confidence. These things don’t grow in comfort; they grow in ashes. Like a phoenix, we must burn away the old to be reborn.

Dying to self means facing the darkest parts of you—the patterns, beliefs, and feelings you’ve avoided. It’s trusting that even when you can’t see it, something good is on the horizon. You can’t emerge stronger, more whole, and more free unless you’re willing to let go of the old you.

This process is what spiritual awakening looks like. It’s messy, raw, and painful. But it’s also transformative. To die to yourself is the ultimate act of courage. And from that death comes a rebirth so beautiful, so freeing, it makes all the pain worth it.

Trust the process. The new you is waiting just beyond the ashes.