I was heading down to the basement to work out. That was the plan.
But as I descended the stairs, I passed the storage closet—recently emptied of a few boxes—and noticed how disorganized it had become.
And suddenly, reorganizing that closet felt… necessary. Urgent, even. Not in a panicked way, but in the oddly satisfying way a task can present itself as both noble and comforting. Organizing it would feel productive. Good. Maybe even enjoyable.
But I knew exactly what was happening.
There’s a kind of resistance that shows up when we’re about to do something difficult and worthwhile—especially if it’s something we’ve committed to for our health, our vocation, or our spiritual growth. And often, our mind will offer us an escape route that feels like progress, but is really a retreat. For me, in that moment, the closet became a reward for not doing what I had set out to do.
It’s such a small moment. But moments like that are deeply revealing. And they matter more than we think.
Every day, we’re faced with little choices. To follow through or back away. To do what’s good or what’s easy. To avoid discomfort or lean into it with intention. And whether we realize it or not, those choices shape who we’re becoming.
St. John Paul II often said, “Become who you are.” It’s a powerful invitation—but also a warning. Because we can just as easily become what we are not. We do this, slowly and subtly, every time we choose the lesser path—not necessarily the “bad” choice, but the one that pulls us away from who we’re called to be.
The reality is, we’re not just making choices. We’re becoming something through those choices. And freedom—the real kind—is what makes that possible.
Freedom isn’t the ability to do whatever we feel like. It’s not simply having options or feeling inspired. True freedom is the capacity to choose the good, especially when it’s difficult. And that kind of freedom doesn’t come automatically. It’s something we have to cultivate.
Most of what gets in the way of freedom doesn’t scream for our attention—it hums quietly beneath the surface. These are the subconscious beliefs and thought patterns that shape our decisions without us ever noticing. They might sound like, “No one’s going to care what you say,” or “You’re too tired to do this right,” or “You should wait until you feel more prepared.”
These voices are familiar. And dangerous.
They don’t show up waving red flags. They often show up with reasonable excuses and comforting alternatives. And unless we learn to pay attention to them—to trace them back to their source—we’ll keep mistaking resistance for wisdom.
That’s why awareness is so important. When we begin to turn inward, to listen beneath the noise of our daily distractions, we start to notice the stories we’re telling ourselves. And that’s where freedom lives: not in the absence of struggle, but in the clarity to see what’s true and choose it anyway.
Even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when the closet looks more inviting than the gym.
Of course, there are moments when all the awareness in the world won’t make the decision any easier. Sometimes, you just have to push through. Sometimes the most virtuous thing you can do is not quit. You white-knuckle it. You finish the workout. You hit “record” on the podcast. You stay faithful, even if you don’t feel inspired. And that’s not a failure of your interior life—it’s a triumph of your will.
That’s where freedom becomes real.
So if you’ve ever found yourself procrastinating the good you set out to do—or if you keep talking yourself out of what matters most—you’re not alone. It’s not a character flaw. It’s a call to go deeper.
Because freedom doesn’t come from avoiding the hard thing. It comes from learning to notice what’s happening inside of you—and then choosing, with clarity and grace, to do what God is calling you to do.
The closet will still be there tomorrow.
But so will the opportunity to become who you are.