Why Do Things Become More Difficult Right Before You’re About to Level-Up?

Because you’re ready to evolve.

Yes, it’s that simple.

Do you remember playing video games as a child?

Perhaps you still do. (No judgement here… just a little open-hearted smirk :))

Either way, I’ve come to realize that life’s a little like video games. When you’ve mastered the challenges of Level 1, Level 2 will magically reveal itself.

Unlike the excitement we feel when this happens in a video game, we often become disheartened when we’re ready to level-up in real life.

Perhaps you thought you had mastered the art of speaking up, or being more open-minded before reaching a decision… and then it happened. You ran into that person or that situation that triggered you right back into your old dysfunctional patterns. You froze, you became rigid and judgmental, or perhaps you lost your cool. And that’s probably when your mind decided to go rogue on you: “What just happened there? I thought I had dealt with this issue. I guess all that work I’ve been doing on myself hasn’t really helped.” 

I’ve done all of these things and I’ve had all of these thoughts… on every single level that I’ve encountered thus far my journey.

But I’ve also learned to recognize the subtle differences that might escape you when you’re skillful at being hard on yourself.

The person that triggered you into clamming up might have surfaced a hidden issue that you’re now finally ready to address. The situation that caused you to turn into a bulldozer, might have touched on a fear that you’ve not yet faced.

Evolution isn’t linear… it’s more like a downward spiraling staircase that takes us back through familiar territory on deeper and deeper levels, as we get closer to the core of who we are.

What if instead of judging ourselves for not evolving as quickly as we think we “should,” we celebrated how far we’ve come and embraced our beautiful, imperfect human nature.

What if we allowed ourselves to feel upset without all of the dramatic mental chatter that doesn’t actually serve us.

What if we took a step back and examined what actually made this particular situation more challenging than the other ones we’ve successfully dealt with.

And last but not least, what if we took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and quietly smirked back at life when it cheekily changes the game on us, knowing that we’re ready to evolve and hoping that we’ll find the courage to level-up in the real world.

What if… ?

“Don’t be surprised how quickly the universe moves once you’ve decided.” – Anonymous

Nayla’s Corner ~ Find and claim your voice.

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