Internal Neglect: From Resignation to Restoration
Internal Neglect: Resignation to Restoration
Have you ever driven past a neglected house, one that’s been left so long it’s almost collapsing? You can imagine how, in its prime, it once stood proud. There have been times in my own life when I’ve felt that my house — my neglected inner life — was close to ruin.
I sat with old ideas and stagnant mindsets for so long that I was simply existing, not living. In that state, I carried what is called a mood of resignation: a heavy atmosphere of “I can’t,” “What’s the point,” “I’ve failed.” It wasn’t just a thought — it had become the background music to my life. The idea of restoring my internal neglected house felt overwhelming.
Moods Have a Language
However, despite my deep set resignation, I still had choice: to continue to neglect my inner life or move forward regardless of how I felt. So, I chose to abandon my comfortable dissatisfaction and began stripping the paint. I ripped out rotten floorboards and removed the vagrants who had taken up residence — these were the unhealthy stories, the destructive habits and the people and patterns that drained my life instead of adding to it.
This was restoration work. It meant reshaping my mindset, becoming conscious of the company I kept and practising a deep acceptance of what I had been resisting.
I changed my listening and stopped justifying the stories that had kept me stuck. I accepted that to move forward I needed to tear down, rebuild and reinforce.
What I Learned About Structural Maintenance
Through this process, I learned three truths about maintaining my internal house:
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To accept challenges instead of resisting them. Resistance weakens the structure; acceptance strengthens it.
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The past and future can’t be changed. The only power I have is how I interpret them — with compassion and kindness.
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Self-care is non-negotiable. I must repaint and redecorate my house often, with gratitude for the privilege of being able to.
Daily Steps, Not a Vast Journey
I stopped thinking of life as a huge, never-ending journey — it felt too vast. Life, for me, would now be a series of daily, incremental steps.
With this acceptance, I took my first step forward and out of resignation. By embracing acceptance and partnering with possibility, I reinforced my internal neglected house for the storms of the next season.
Reflective Questions for You
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Where in your life have you allowed your internal house to fall into neglect?
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What “vagrants” — old stories, habits, or destructive voices — do you need to clear out?
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What daily step could you take today to repaint or reinforce your inner life?
