“Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
Before we awaken, we are unaware. Before we awaken, we live unconsciously, acting from conditioned beliefs, cultural programming, and wounds of the past. We play the role of the person we believe we need to be, in order to receive admiration, love, and attention. In order to survive. We dress ourselves in costumes and put on an act, desperately trying to blend into the world around us.
Instead of living a life that feels genuinely ours, we find ourselves pursuing fleeting distractions, striving to meet society’s expectations, and pretending to be someone we’re not.
We fail to live as ourselves, our authentic selves. We navigate the world inside a shell, seeking protection from its harshness and judgment. A shell that masks our true character, distances us from our dreams and desires, and dims our light and our passions. We lack presence. We lack self-awareness. We lack purpose. We lack direction. We are like robots, disconnected from our hearts, our emotions, and our spirits, bumping awkwardly into one another as we try to connect.
Awakening changes all of that. It shines a bright light on everything we have buried inside and everything we have been running from. It blasts our hearts wide open and throws us into deep introspection. It brings awareness to our unconscious ways of living and being and pushes us to transform. Perfectionism, performance, people-pleasing, gossip, greed, envy, lust, control, manipulation, deceit, and judgment all come under the microscope for examination.
Everything that was once “unconscious” is brought into the light for healing and transformation. It becomes clear and undeniable how we have strayed from ourselves. How we betrayed ourselves. Once that happens, our souls no longer allow us to run or hide. Our unconscious behaviors, and the unconscious behaviors of others, become glaringly obvious, like a bright neon sign. We see everything. I mean everything. Even things we don’t want to see. And, we can’t unsee them. This is what it means to be aware.
Becoming awakened and aware at first will feel a bit like a curse. You’ll look around and notice that everyone else is still operating as you were before: unconsciously. They are still disconnected from themselves, still pretending, still acting in ways that harm or fail to consider others. You’ll notice that others are not yet seeing what you’re seeing, not understanding what you’re understanding, so you’ll try to “help” them see. You’ll try to explain it in a way they can understand. But they won’t. And this will hurt.
You will feel lonely and misunderstood. You will feel lost and out of place. And you will wonder why you are the only one experiencing these things. Moving through the world asleep was so much easier.
At times, you will want to go back to your old life, your former way of being. You’ll want to go back to its comfort, its familiarity. To the place where you once belonged. But you can’t. You can never go back. And that realization will hurt, too.
There will be a period of grieving, of letting go of what was, as your new reality sets in. You will grieve the people you once knew. The life you once lived. And the character you once played. But then, the clouds will lift, and slowly but surely you will move on.
Your new life will begin to take shape. You will begin to reconstruct your habits, beliefs, relationships, and daily life around your new sense of awareness and your greater level of consciousness. You’ll find yourself becoming more empathetic and more accountable for your actions. You’ll use greater caution with whom and what you allow into your headspace and heart space. Finally, you will become more committed to your personal and spiritual growth and development, investing much of your time and energy into elevating your consciousness and becoming a better human being.
You will make choices that support your growth, rather than choices that repeat old patterns or keep you stuck and distracted. You will take control of your life and recognize your own agency in creating the life you desire. You will remove the masks and the shell you once wore to protect you from fully being seen, and you will begin to embrace your inner light and your inner truths. Little by little, step by step, your authentic self will emerge. Like a butterfly bursting from its cocoon.
From there, you will irrevocably be free of the chains of unconscious living, and you will step into your purpose as your most authentic self. Getting there will not be easy. It will require sacrifice, isolation at times, and a whole lot of work. It will require the type of faith and fearlessness that most human beings do not possess.
But, you shall arrive. You shall arrive because you were called to this path. And because you chose this path long before time.
Taken from someone who has lived this experience, allow me to share some tips for navigating this difficult shift, from unconscious to conscious, as it is not a journey for the faint of heart:
1. Allow Yourself to Grieve What Was and Let Go of the Past
First, the shedding process will be painful. You will leave behind old mindsets and beliefs, the people you love, and the person you used to be. You’ll observe people and interests from your past from a new perspective, noticing that they no longer resonate with you or hold the same meaning. Your identity will be stripped bare and you will feel completely out-of-place.
All of this will feel like a death of sorts. An ego death. Your former persona, and everything that goes with it, is slowly falling away, making space for a new you to be rebirthed. Allow yourself to grieve these losses. Give yourself the time and space to fully experience the heartbreak and the sadness. Remember, you are not only mourning the life you once lived; you are also saying goodbye to the version of yourself that will never be again.
2. Take Things Slow and Show Yourself Grace
Second, shifting your consciousness takes time. It takes tremendous amounts of emotional, physical, and mental energy. You are rewiring your brain to think and respond in new ways; you are rebuilding your life and your relationships to be more aligned; and you are doing the innerwork necessary to heal old patterns and habits. This is exhausting work. Making changes too rapidly can send your nervous system into shock and actually delay your progress. So, I recommend taking small, daily action steps as your mind, body, and spirit feel ready. It’s beneficial to hold yourself accountable, but try not to place unnecessary pressure on yourself, especially when you feel the changes overwhelming you. No one is perfect, and you’re not expected to operate in a high-vibe state all of the time. You will have setbacks and challenges, and this, too, is part of the process.
3. Remember Why You're Here
Third, you are undergoing this process of shifting your awareness for a reason. It is not accidental and it is not a punishment. Whether you comprehend this or not, your soul chose this path long ago: to awaken and remember who you truly are. Your mission and purpose at this moment in time, and in the history of humanity, is to help raise the consciousness of the planet. Each person that awakens, each person that becomes more conscious and aware, touches hundreds of other lives. You are like a droplet in the ocean, sending ripples out into the collective. The way you live, the choices you make, the love and compassion you extend, all have an impact in activating and healing others.
4. Find a Support System
Finally, you are not here to do this alone. While at first it will feel lonely to be the only conscious person in a sea of unconsciousness, soon you will start to encounter your soul tribe. Through the Law of Resonance and the Law of Attraction, you will be drawn to others who are on a similar path. Online groups. Local community groups. New friendships and connections. If you are struggling to find your soul tribe, at a minimum work to create new connections and relationships that help you feel seen, supported, and understood. Surround yourself with people and things that support your growth and seek out opportunities to connect. If no one in your community is organizing, take it upon yourself to offer a space for people to come together. It does you no good to be conscious and aware and still living in a bubble!
Others like you are out there: the ones who see and understand. The ones who care deeply about humanity and want to make this world a better place. The truthseekers. The sages. The cycle breakers. The sacred rebels. They are out there, and you are meant to find them.
Your time on this earth is precious. It is a God-given gift. Everything you have come to know about yourself, about your Divine essence, and about your connection to the world around you leads back to this: you are someone, because you are “some” of the One. (Cathy Heller) Your awareness, your empathy, your light… they are a reflection of the source from which you came. You embody these characteristics and you live and breathe them because you have remembered the divinity within you. That is a blessing, not a curse.
If only the whole world remembered…
how beautiful that would be.
Much love. ♥
© 2025 April Ross–Divine Soul Guidance
Recommended Resources:
- Dealing with Unconsciousness, by Eckhart Tolle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfI8huo5jd4
- Are You Living Unconsciously?
https://waysofthinking.co.uk/2019/10/01/are-you-living-unconsciously-part-1/
- Are You Sleepwalking Your Life Away?
orker, and spiritual mentor who guides others on their awakening journey to heal from unhealthy patterns and behaviors, free themselves from the past, and step into becoming their most authentic, aligned selves. She is the author of Bravely Becoming © 2021 and the course creator of Soul Awakened, a step-by-step guide to navigating the awakening process.
