By Cristie Gardner

Yesterday, I watched in awe as our daughter gave birth to a beautiful, healthy 7 lb. 10 oz. baby boy—Caleb. We were by her side during the final stages of labor and were powerfully reminded why it’s called “labor”: it’s incredibly hard work.

As little Caleb’s head began to emerge, we noticed something wasn’t right. The umbilical cord—the very cord that had nourished and sustained him throughout his development—was wrapped tightly around his shoulder, under his arm, and around his neck. With each push, it was constricting him, choking him, and bruising his tiny face.

The midwife worked quickly and intensely to free him, trying to slip the cord over his head. But it wouldn’t budge. It was strong, unyielding—impossible to pull or snap. That’s when she looked our daughter in the eyes and said urgently, “You’ve got to push and get this baby out NOW.”

With one final, focused push, Caleb’s shoulder cleared the birth canal—and in a moment that felt miraculous, he shot out almost airborne. The midwife swiftly lifted the cord away, and he began to pink up right away, though his precious little face bore the marks of the struggle.

Later, the midwife confided that those few seconds—the time between when the cord is stuck and when the baby is safely delivered—can feel like hours. It’s a haunting irony: the same cord that gives life can also threaten it, if it binds too tightly for too long. But with that final, determined push, Caleb found his freedom.

The force of habit can bind us—or free us.

What starts as a helpful routine—something that serves us—can, over time, become something we serve instead. It’s easy to forget why we started it in the first place.

In our daughter’s case, her body had settled into the rhythm of contractions for hours. The pattern had become familiar. But at a critical point, someone with a wider view—someone with perspective—had to step in and say, “Now is the moment. This push matters most.”

We all have these moments.

For me, one example is my habit of making “to-do” lists. They help me stay on track and accountable. But sometimes, I pack them with so many insignificant items just to feel a sense of productivity, and I end up wasting time checking boxes that don’t actually move me forward. What started as a tool for freedom becomes a form of bondage.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in perspectives that hold us back.
We think:
“If I had financial freedom, I could finally be generous, travel, renovate, chase my dreams.”
“If I were healthier, I’d have the energy to be who I want to be.”
“If I were pain-free, I’d be a better partner, parent, or friend.”
“If I had more faith, I could move mountains.”

But freedom rarely comes passively. It comes with awareness and focused effort—an intentional push. That clarity often comes from reflecting on what got us here in the first place. Sometimes it takes someone else lovingly pointing it out. Either way, when we finally see what’s holding us back, we can channel our energy into what moves us forward.

Yes, revisit the past if it helps—but don’t live there.

The past has passed. It's over. Forget it.
To dwell on it, ponder, complain or regret it,
Will only prove futile, for you have gone on.
And the time that has passed is now time that is gone.

You cannot move forward if you are behind it;
To pause, or stand still, or attempt to rewind it
Will render you hopeless and helpless and caught
If you've traded your substance for all that is naught.

Move on then, with vigor, full measure and more,
Move into the present as never before.
Move far from the goals that would lead you astray.
Embrace all around you and live for today!

So—where do you need to push in your life?
Where are you stuck?
Where are you constricted?

Sitting and stewing rarely gets us anywhere. But a single, focused push can change everything.

We talk a lot about the Law of Attraction—but it’s right there in the word: attrACTION.
It takes action.

Dale Carnegie once said,

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage.
If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

So, choose your push. Set a timeframe. Decide on a starting and stopping point. Focus your energy. And go.
Push with everything you’ve got—and freedom will meet you on the other side.

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