Sometimes things seem to stay the same for a long time, and then there comes a sudden change.

However, nothing really stays the same from day to day, and in fact there are constant changes taking place every moment in our bodies and in everything around us.

It’s just that we don’t always notice change until it becomes too obvious to ignore. Most of us want to keep moving forward in the ways that suit us. But sometimes life inevitably puts obstacles, both large and small, to block our way.

Yet even when we feel blocked, small shifts are ongoing, and we ourselves can help to guide them.

Guiding the ongoing change in our lives is not only about taking physical actions, but about making mental and emotional adjustments.

When we notice that we are feeling stuck or overwhelmed, simply becoming aware of our thoughts and feelings will effect a change, a transformation.

In moments of darkness, we are still moving forward, and we can decide if we want to move further into darkness, or search for the light. In the yin yang symbol which has its roots in ancient Chinese philosophy, one half is black with a white dot in its center and the other is white with a black dot. This symbol shows that everything is always in a state of flux—even at those times when we feel stuck in a certain situation or position. The two sides are opposites, but each carries a spark of the other within it, and they can transform, one into the other.

Day follows night, spring follows winter, and success can follow failure.

Try to see the opportunity in your current situation, and try to find the light in the darkness. See what is possible, and place your faith in that. There is always something to be learned, something to discover, that will take us forward, one step at a time.

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”—Desmond Tutu