The Hardest Prison: Safety and Survival

The hardest prison to leave is the one we’ve built to feel safe.

It’s an invisible prison, crafted over years by our subconscious mind, whose primary job is to protect us and ensure our survival. This prison feels familiar, even comforting at times, because it’s designed to shield us from the pain, rejection, or failure we’ve encountered in the past. But it’s also the very thing that keeps us from growth, healing, and living fully.

Our subconscious mind is ancient—it’s still “homo sapiens” at its core, wired for survival in a world where danger once lurked around every corner. It doesn’t distinguish between the threat of a wild animal and the fear of emotional vulnerability or trying something new. To the subconscious, discomfort equals danger. Change equals risk. And risk, no matter how small, is something it instinctively avoids.

So, when we try to break free from old patterns, whether it’s stepping out of codependency, releasing limiting beliefs, or pursuing a dream, our subconscious mind resists. It whispers, “Stay here. It’s safer. You know this place.” It clings to the familiar, even if the familiar is painful or stifling.

But here’s the truth: safety isn’t the same as freedom. The walls we build to keep ourselves safe also keep us stuck. They prevent us from experiencing the fullness of life—the joy, the connection, the growth that comes from stepping into the unknown.