You’re Not Being Tested. You’re Being Strengthened.
In these personal growth realms there's a belief often held that just as we’re on the precipice of major growth in our lives, the universe will “test us.”
Like, the day before you'd finally gotten up the courage to quit a job that wasn't feeling soul-aligned, your boss offers you a 25% raise out of the blue.
Or as you finally settle into the process of writing the book you've envisioned yourself writing for years, you see three colleagues in your field launching books on the same topic.
Or just after having set an intention to welcome in an abundance of new clients to your coaching practice, you're met with a flood of prospective clients so overwhelming that you question whether to downsize that intention.
It's the notion that the universe is challenging you to get really real: “Are you SURE you actually want this??”
But the way I view it is that, actually, the universe isn’t testing you.
It’s preparing you.
You're being strengthened to be ready to meet this expanded, new, likely terrifying to your comfort-and-safety-loving-ego-driven-self (small s) next phase.
You're being given the opportunity to laser in on that intention for growth and double down on your commitment to it.
You're been given the chance to strengthen the muscles of fortitude, discipline and consistency you'll need to stay committed to this growth path.
Stepping into our core Self (capital S) and allowing our lives to become more guided by that essential Self and our intuition isn’t for the faint of heart.
So I see what we often view as the “testing” phase as more accurately an incubation phase.
A solidifying and fortifying phase.
A space that allows you some time to get your sea legs before you become fully immersed in this new way of being.
It's a testing ground, but not in a punitive way; rather in an experimental beta phase way.
Because if we're thrown into the deep end before our various parts are integrated enough to feel ready to make the leap, we often trigger a trip wire that scares us back into our old familiar protective shell. And that makes it even harder to have the courage to take the leap in the future.
I find that both for myself and my coaching clients, this slight reframe tends to open up a big sigh of relief. Because it reminds us that the universe is on our team, cheering us on and nudging us forward on our soul-aligned path.
So what if you're not being tested — your foundation of success for your next chapter is just being lovingly strengthened?
With Love,