Blocks: The Blessing in the No

Imagine walking down a street only to realize that the path is blocked. You may feel moments of unease but immediately begin looking for the detour sign that points out an alternate route. In that moment, you don’t perceive the experience as a failure, or a denial. You understand that it is a redirection, you’re still going to arrive where you want to, just by taking a different path.

Spiritually and emotionally blocks feel heavier. They show up as delays, discomfort, frustration, even grief. That’s because we have been conditioned to believe we should already have what we want or be able to do what we desire without interference.

When things don’t go as planned, we often assume something is wrong with us or our path.

The truth is the block is a mirror revealing what you may be resisting, what you may be afraid of releasing, or where you are still clinging to outstated stories about how things should happen. Sometimes the path appears like a straight line, but it rarely is. Blocks highlight what needs attention, healing, and what you are not quite ready to hold, even if you think you are.

The Block: The Path Closed

Blocks also serve as protection. When we are so focused on achieving something in a specific way but find ourselves repeatedly blocked, that’s because we may not be quite ready, even if we tell ourselves we are, to not only hold but keep what we are trying to achieve. The block surfaces as a pause, not a denial, meant to prepare us.

Our minds create story after story about how things should happen, why things happen and when. But when plans don’t quite go that way, we become frustrated because why can we see it so clearly but are being stopped? If the mental story and what the heart knows doesn’t match, you will feel tension. The body never lies. If your heart whispers “wait” even when the mind is shouting “go”, the block will manifest as a guide, not an obstacle.

Last year, I experienced this firsthand when I discovered a new technique for hypnosis that came packaged as the most effective method with thousands of success stories. It was intrigued enough to want to learn more about the technique. I signed up for a discovery call with a representative. He asked thoughtful questions about my intentions, the kind of business I wanted to build, and shared how much support the company provided its practitioners

I was sold and didn’t pause at all when I said yes. Then he shared the cost. Over $10,000. And just like that I was stopped in my tracks and was forced to sit with the question of why the universe would bring me this far only to tell me no.

Instead I signed up for a lower-cost introductory course which gave me all the information I needed to truly know that this path wasn’t truly aligned with me. The technique though helpful didn’t resonate deeply with my values or the outcomes I wanted for my clients. Had I gone all in, I would have spent money and time on a path that wasn’t mine.

The Redirection: The Path Opened

That financial block was not a denial, it was protection. It saved me from making a rushed decision based on urgency, not alignment. What I gained instead was clarity. I saw what I didn’t want in my business. And I learned to slow down and listen to the heart that has never led me astray. That block services as the blessing in the no.

As always, courage is required. Pause and quiet yourself enough to listen to what your heart is saying. If your heart is aligned, you will feel peaceful. That’s how you know you’re making the right decision. If the block persists even after this check in, know that there is something deeper at play and time will reveal why you’re better off not getting what you thought you wanted.

Blocks are not punishment or failure. They are redirection and protection. It’s the soul’s way of guiding you toward deeper alignment, and a path that actually serves you.