In every fairy tale, there comes a moment when the hero falters. The forest grows dark and endless, and hope seems lost. This moment mirrors real life when the weariness seeps into the spirit. The fog rises in the forest and obscures our path. We see this in our own lives after too much striving and caring and just enduring. In a fairy tale there is a promised of renewal after hardship but did you know it also contains hidden lessons about rest, recovery, and rediscovering that inner light that keeps you going.
Into the Forest
Sometimes it can feel as if our lives have entered that forest of fatigue and we’ve become lost in its dense thickets. The way forward is unclear and even the familiar seems strange and threatening. In fairy tales, this forest is a place of testing and transformation. In the real world we call it life. So what can we do when the forest grows too dark and the thorns strike too deep?
When Snow White fled into the forest she was frightened and alone. She was a Princess who had just been given a reprieve from the huntsman’s dagger yet all the problems of survival are now crashing down on her head. Not to mention an evil queen has just taken over her kingdom. Yet the forest became a place of refuge and renewal. But only once she found the dwarves’ cottage amongst the trees which we can see as a symbol of safety, simplicity, and care. The Dwarves offer her sanctuary from danger and this allows her to rest and rebuild her strength. The story is reminding us that stepping away from chaos to find stillness is not a weakness but wisdom.
Retreat is not failure. It can be the first step towards healing. Now not all of us will find a cottage full of friendly dwarves but we can set up our own personal cottage. We build this out of quiet time and comforting rituals. Everyone has heard of comfort food. We need to make a space in our lives that can become the comfort food for our brains. I can’t tell you what that might be but for you but if you stop for a moment and try to think of what makes you peaceful. What do you see in your mind’s eye when I say, think of something gentle? Something calming? Something quietly wonderful? What just came to your mind are the first building blocks of your cottage.
And She Slept for a Hundred Years
Fairy tales have been known to use sleep as a strange plot point. It’s a pause between the struggle and the awakening. A stillness before the transformation. Sleeping Beauty was not being punished when she was put to sleep. Her fairy Godmother was protecting her, weakening the curse the 13th fairy had put on her which would have caused her death. Sleeping Beauty has to surrender to sleep and trust that healing would come in time. Rest in a way is sacred, an act of trust that refreshes us for a new day. It is truly magical.
When our strength falters to recover we must allow ourselves genuine rest without guilt. Emotional recovery cannot be rushed. Sleep, quiet reflection can be acts of courage, not indulgence. Turning off the worry and anxiety can be very hard. It’s not a task for the faint of heart. I’m not suggesting you run from these things. I’m saying give yourself some grace and leave them outside the cottage door for the night and climb these stairs and take the seventh bed. Yes, I know that was the last story. But all these steps are building on the one before. Because there are no quick and easy answers. The path takes many turns in the forest and each one leaves its mark so we are someone different when we emerge. Sleeping Beauty was a young shelter girl when she fell asleep. That kiss woke her to womanhood and adult responsibilities. This fairy tale isn’t telling you that sleep will fix everything. It’s telling you you’ll need it for the tasks ahead.
And Her Fairy Godmother Suddenly Appeared
In fairy tales, the hero rarely succeeds completely on their own. Helpers appear in all sorts of guises, the wise mentor, kindly animals or loyal friends. All can guide the weary traveler back to strength. Let’s revisit Cinderella who was so kindly in the last post. Cinderella’s spirit was nearly broken. She was crying, over ashes or her Mother’s grave doesn’t matter, the fact was she was hitting a hard low. Then her fairy godmother appeared. With compassion and magic, she reminds Cinderella of her worth and the possibilities in front of her. Cinderella inside is a kind, strong, beautiful woman. She always was, her fairy godmother is just re-revealing it to her, everyone at the ball and to us.
The hidden lesson here is the importance of accepting help and kindness and compassion when our energies are depleted and it’s a struggle to remember how it felt to be that strong, beautiful princess. We need to see ourselves reflected in the connection we share with trusted friends or loved ones. Allowing others to offer support, a dress, encouragement, a golden coach, or simply being there, “remember the magic fades at midnight”. Companionship is another source of healing. The Dwarves gave a place to live, a kiss from Prince Charming promised a companion for the trails ahead, and a fairy godmother opened the door to the ball where amazing things could happen.
Ah, you say, that’s all well and good in a fairy tale but I don’t have a fairy godmother or a prince for that matter. Are you sure? How many times in Story has that beggar along the road turned out to be the King or a god or a wizen mean old gnome. Look at the people you surround yourself with and try to see with your magical eye. Who there is the wise woman, who there has been the dwarf who took you in when you were scared and gave you shelter from the dark? Friends are gifts.
You have reached out and helped a friend how many times and you didn’t think less of them. You were glad when you could do something that helped them. Your friends will feel the same. Companionship is important because we share courage just as we share joy. Allow friends to help you heal.
And Then He Saw His Reflection in the Water
After darkness and rest, fairy tales always return to the light. The hero emerges from the forest changed. They are stronger, wiser and more compassionate. Our recovery from the challenges that have beaten us down in the dark forest of life echo that same melody, that transformation.
Remember the Ugly Duckling. His life really work him over, laughed at by his own community of ducks, traveling and still finding ridicule at every turn. He even left the comfort of a warm cabin in the middle of winter when the mockery of the cat and the horse was just too much. I doubt it’s in the modern book but when the ugly duckling finally ran into the group of swans who accepted him as one of their own. He was at the end of his rope. Swans had a nasty, vicious reputation and he was doing the equivalent of walking into a group of Hell’s Angels and knocking over their bikes. He got a last minute reprieve that gave him that moment when he could look down into the water and see he had become a beautiful swan. Acceptance by the swans allowed him to recognize his own true beauty. The Story here reminds us that exhaustion and struggle can precede profound self-discovery.
What does that mean for us? Renewal can bring clarity about what truly matters. Self-discovery where we discover what has been inside of us all along. All these things I’m talking about culminate in that Ugly Duckling’s Aha! Moment. I’m NOT advocating knocking over motorcycles. I’m saying once you’ve embraced building your cottage, granted yourself a chance to rest, accepted help from those you trust to catch you when you fall, be brave and look at your reflection. Chose to be what you were all along a fighter, a princess, a kind and gentle spirit ready to change your little corner of the world for better. And believe it!
Fairy tales teach that even the most exhausted hearts can find renewal. The key lies in honouring the natural rhythm of retreat and return. Allow the darkness to give way to the light. The low, tangle thorns are not the end of the story. They are just in the middle chapters. They can be your quiet turning point. Like heroes of old tales, every weary soul carries the potential to awaken again restored by rest, compassion and time. The forest will thin, the dawn will come, and the inner light will shine once more. And you like the hero will be stronger for having known the dark.
So now I’ve gone on about how no matter how tired we are or how terrible things seem, we can go on. And you say, yes, very nice, all inspiring and that but what do I actually do? So here’s the TD:DR practical suggestion portion of my Story.
Find your rituals or create them. First cup in the morning in a quiet place in your house to look out the window and remind yourself there’s beauty out there. An evening walk, alone or with a friend, creates an end to the work day and the beginning of your time. A time to stop and take 3 mindful breaths. It doesn’t matter so much what it is as long as it is yours, your time, your reconnection with the magic around you.
Limit overstimulation and stress by setting some boundaries. Don’t think of it as saying no to something/one, it’s saying yes to your wellbeing. Overcommitting your help is nice but unsustainable. You’re like the rainforest, we need you to survive so you can’t be feeding the timber industry to your own detriment. Marathon not a sprint remember. Doomscrolling is a get the lay of the land and get out activity.
Sleep and sleep better. This means set a bedtime. Your body wants rituals too. A regular bedtime strengthens your circadian rhythm and deepens your sleep. That includes wind down time so you’re ready to shut down for the night.
Reconnect with creativity, any craft, any talent, any thing you want to learn. These things can rekindle joy. I have a lot to say on this subject so you know you’ll get an earful in an upcoming post so I’ll leave it at that here.
Spend time in nature because she’s magic when it comes to grounding the senses and calming the mind. Yes, it would be great if you could walk along a path by a beautiful waterfall in Hawaii. But Nature is very powerful and it doesn’t take much. A nearby kid’s park, that one brush and your little weedy lawn, the pot with a geranium and the unidentified plant that was here when you moved in, trust me Mother Nature can work her magic on you with just the geranium. You just have to pay attention.
Celebrate small recoveries, each moment of peace is a spark of that inner light. Each time you can remember what gentleness is. Each time you take a deep breath, try to relax your shoulder and smile at anything or nothing. These are victories. This is you taking back yourself so stop, and like the duckling allow your reflection to enlighten you.
Each of us is wrapped up in our own Story. Sometimes we are the hero or the trusted companion or even the fairy godmother. Wherever you are in your story, I wish you the bravery to look beyond the thorns to the light at the edge of the forest, to take care of yourself as you journey there. Remember we take turns being strong and sometimes you have to let yourself be the weak one and take shelter. And that’s okay. Just turn your energy to renewal and step out like a new fairy princess ready to take on the world.
Thank you for reading. I hope something I said helps you and feel free to pass this on if you think it might be something someone else might need to hear. ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִִֶֶָ🥀་༘࿐