Each week in The Wisdom of Change blog series, I share the original artwork and unpack the insights and meaning behind one of the 44 cards in The Wisdom of Change oracle deck.

This week’s card is 19 Accelerated Progress

Ah, the beautiful energy of accelerated progress; how we experience life when we are in flow, being carried by the water as opposed to feeling like we are swimming upstream.

Periods like this can feel wonderful – the freewheel downhill after the effort and hard work of pedalling uphill for a while.  When we are ‘stuck’ and slow to make progress, the struggle can feel interminable; as if we will run out of energy and commitment before we reach our goal.  Then suddenly, it all starts to fall into place, and everything changes gear to welcome in grace, ease and deeper insights for the way ahead.

But there is a flip side to accelerated progress; too much movement at once can feel overwhelming.  Although we are always moving forward, we sometimes don’t perceive it as such; success may take a circuitous route.  Don’t worry if you don’t feel pure excitement when everything starts to shift.  We can become so conditioned by the struggle that we forget to anticipate ease; the time when all our efforts and intentions come together and our plans to move towards us. 

Success can come as a shock!

Sometimes things start working out so well for us that we don’t recognise it as such.  But ponder this; when we’ve committed to step outside of our comfort zone, we are by nature, moving into unchartered territory.  You have been striving towards creating something different; something better than you already have.  You have recognised that where you were is not where you want to be, and you have taken steps to change that.  It’s not surprising then, if you find yourself feeling a little ‘out of step’ with the breakthroughs you have created. 

Be kind to yourself. 

Take time for yourself. 

New means ‘different’. 

Different is what you called in.

It’s a great time to journal all the things you did to create the conditions that got you here.  It’ll help you to ground the feeling that your progress is real; linked to the effort you put in and that it didn’t happen to you by some happy accident.  It’s valuable to recognise that your efforts and focus resulted in the changes for the better that you are now experiencing.

Take time to celebrate and recommit to where you are heading next.  This recent bout of progress means that a major milestone has been accomplished.  Perhaps you now feel the enormity of the journey that’s still left ahead for you. 

Pause a while and remember that the journey is the destination. 

Enjoy every step. Relish every insight.

We are never ‘done’, but we are always ‘complete’.  There is always be more, further layers to mine, greater joy to receive, deeper awareness to be had.  Gain comfort from the sense of ongoing movement; that change is the only constant. 

Yes, it can feel scary, but isn’t it also exhilarating?

Fear is excitement without the breath… so breathe it all in… and exhale.

It’s all happening for you right now – many congratulations!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s connection to your inner wisdom.

As always, I’d love to hear your comments below.

If you’d like to learn more about The Wisdom of Change oracle deck you can find out more here.

If you'd like to find out more about a Wisdom of Change reading with Wendy please click here.