Do you feel different? As if you don't quite fit in? Have you had times in your life when you've wanted to change but something has held you back? Does your current (or old) life no longer fit your current vision or beliefs? Well don't worry, these are all sure signs that you're just stuck in a rut and ready to move onto the next phase of your life. Everyone at times in their lives move through the cycles of evolution, and you just keep moving.
There's a saying that the only constant is change. The universe is always in motion and always growing. In nature, business, life and almost everywhere change happens in distinct and predictable cycles, yet when it comes to our own personal development people seem to strive for a status quo, a "balance". It's this desire for balance that can actually unbalances us.
Throughout our lives we constantly change and transform. You're not the same person you were when you were a baby or a child or a teenager or a few years ago, or even last week!
Every experience you have leaves its mark on your mind and neurology. So the question isn't "can we change?" the question becomes "How do we change into who we WANT to become, rather than randomly stumbling from one state to the next?"
The good news is that once you understand the cycle of evolution change becomes easy. Each stage has its own gifts, challenges and signs. When you know where you are in the cycle and what's coming next, transformation becomes easy, predictable and best of all, FUN.
Which stage are you at right now?
1. Same stuff, different day?
Everyone has times in their life when everything seems to be going smoothly. Things feel stable. You have a clear understanding how the world works and a model for how you think the world should work. When things don't fit your model or beliefs, you simply reject them. Sometimes things are running so smoothly that life is, just a bit, well, boring! Nothing stays the same so eventually something will happen that triggers you to move to the next stage. Something starts to awaken within you.
2. Getting itchy feet?
You start to notice small signs, subtle, and not so subtle, signals that things just don't seem to fit in the boxes anymore. What you were previously happy with, no longer satisfies you. You start to want more. You wonder if there's more to life or you have experiences that just don't make sense or fit into your beliefs.
You may have vivid dreams, notice unusual patterns or strange coincidences. You begin to ask questions. And it's these questions that cause you to seek answers.
3. Looking for answers?
As a seeker you have questions and you want answers, so naturally you start to seek answers. You might be drawn to new books, to attend workshops, get coaching. You desire to move, to change, but don't yet know where or into what. As your knowledge grows you start to get clarity about what you need to do. All you need to take action. Sadly, often due to fear of change, many people resist taking action. Instead they try to go back to how things were. They try to put things back into the boxes, but of course, things don't fit anymore. This can be very unsettling and even feel chaotic.
4 In crisis?
Ok it's not as bad as it sounds. This stage can be highly emotional, challenging and confusing. You just don't know what to do. You may seem to have one foot in the past and one in the future. It can feel very uncomfortable and you may even have problems in areas such as relationships, finances, work and family. At some point you make a firm decision to take action, or get the help you need.
Moving out of this stage really starts with a decision. Once you've made it and start to follow through, things start to clear up for you. You get a crystal clear vision of how you want your life to be. You become a visionary.
5. The light at the end of the tunnel!
It's extraordinary that the instant you make a decision and take that very first step, no matter how small, to move forward all the pieces start to come together. Finally with a clear vision of where you're going all the steps become easy, then everything starts to fall into place and the way becomes clear. Now you know where you're going and what you want to do. The visionary has big dreams. They are often inspiration and quite charismatic, especially when they are taking action. You become a pioneer.
6. A 'new' you!
A pioneer is someone who breaks new ground, whether it's in your personal life or creating something huge in the world. As a pioneer, you are now clear about your vision and what you're doing, but it's others in your life who wonder what the heck is going on. Make no mistake, they WILL try to stop you and encourage you to go back. They want the "old you" back. This "new you" is too unsettling for them.
It's the nature of being pioneer to encounter resistance. Rather than seeing challenges or resistance as a problem or as something being wrong, it's a sign that everything is very, very right. You will need determination, courage and inner resolve and to stay committed. It's also a great idea to get with a group of pioneers to support each other. With inner strength and faith you can follow your vision through to completion.
7. Unstoppable!!!
Once evolved to this level (some call it the Lightworker stage) you are able to make concrete and very real changes in the physical world. No longer are your dreams and visions trapped in your mind. You take action and see the results of your efforts. You become a model of excellence, a real leader. Challenges no longer set you back as you can see them for what they truly are.
You are a power to be reckoned with and are unstoppable. You experience a sense of inner peace of all being right with the world. You have commitment to your continual personal evolution and to taking action. What's more, you won't get stuck here either. They move through this cycle again and again.
Knowing which stage you're at in the cycle helps you understand what's going on for you and you can prepare for what lies ahead.