Have you ever found yourself trying harder, thinking more, pushing for something to shift… and quietly wondering why it still feels out of reach?
We’re often told that change takes time. That it’s something we have to work at, push through, and earn.
In this quiet moment, Nicky shares an experience that gently challenges that idea — and invites a different way of seeing change, one that unfolds without force.
Life Lessons & Key Themes From This Story
- Change doesn’t always need to be slow or painful. It can happen quickly, when conditions are right.
- Trying harder isn’t always what creates progress. Sometimes, it’s the very thing keeping you stuck.
- Notice what’s shifting beneath the surface. Not all progress is visible straight away.
- Like the dragonflies rising from the water, some transformations happen organically without force.
- Moments of presence and awareness can reshape how you see the challenges you face.
📍 From UK: This story is part of our worldwide collection of inspiring true stories.
We swam first. Then, when we climbed out, we sat by the edge of the pool in the heat, silent, letting the moment settle. Just the waterfall and the feeling that we’d stepped into a secret African oasis hidden from the world.
We sat for a moment in total silence. No breeze. No crickets. None of that background noise you expect from the bush. Just water and stillness.
And they came…
Dragonflies. Hundreds and hundreds of them. Hovering. Landing. Lifting off again. Different colours, different sizes. They were everywhere, like this oasis belonged to them. And we were visitors in their world.
No spam. Just meaningful stories and inspiration.
In The Stillness, Magic Happens
One dragonfly lands on my hand like it knows me. Another lands on my foot. They’re so delicate and light, yet you feel the exact moment they make contact, like your body notices something your brain isn’t fast enough to name.
I take a photo because there are moments you want to remind yourself of later. For when your mind tries to tell you that you couldn’t have possibly visited such a magical world.
I don’t use that word lightly. It was magical.
But here’s the thing.
It’s only later I learn something about dragonflies that makes me go quiet.
Dragonflies spend most of their life under the water as larvae. Most of their life, hidden. They can be there for months, sometimes years. And then one day, they come up.
The emergence happens quickly. In a matter of hours, they take on their adult form. No cocoon. No long pause. No dramatic breakdown into mush. Just. Up. Out. Changed.
I think about us sitting in silence while dragonflies land on our hands.
I think about how easy it is to assume transformation has to be slow and painful and obvious. Years of business development. Years of personal development. Years of trying to fix yourself like you’re a broken chair.
Years of personal development. Years of trying to fix yourself like you’re a broken chair.
And then I remember the feeling of that place. The cool water. The heat on my shoulders. The stillness so complete you could hear your own breath.
And I wonder what might happen if that isn’t always true.
What If Change Didn't Have to Be Hard?
What if transformation doesn’t need force? What if it doesn’t need proving?
What if sometimes it’s in flow like water, as quiet as the emergence of a dragonfly.
That place exists. That stillness exists. And, when the time is right, you just lift off and fly.
No spam. Just meaningful stories and inspiration.
Meet the Storyteller: Nicky Coffin
Nicky Coffin is a business coach and mentor who works closely with leaders to help them grow and scale successful businesses, without giving up the things they love in life.
She helps leaders create businesses that support the life they want to live, with time for family, space for fun, and the freedom to enjoy what they’ve built.
If you’d like to connect with Nicky or follow her work, you can leave her a message below or find her on LinkedIn.
