Ah, here we are at Level 3 Energy.  We begin to enter the levels of anabolic or positive energy at this level.  Additionally, we begin to leave  The Old Ending and start the beginning of The Messy Middle.

The Messy Middle is the betwixt and between of life as we knew it, and the creation of a new life.  We need to leave behind the energy of Level 1 and Level 2 or we stay stuck and continue to just survive.  The Messy Middle may be confusing and chaotic, however this is where we can begin to thrive.  Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5 are the levels where we begin to flourish and grow.  We no longer just survive, we thrive!  In thriving, we become aware and begin to understand that the energy of Level 1 and Level 2 are no longer serving us in moving forward.  Once again, we are required to make a choice to release the past and then begin to navigate towards a new beginning.

The core thought or role at Level 3 is about taking responsibility for the transition in our life.  At this level our emotions are centered around forgiveness.  We may still still blame others for the event or situation, however we begin to rationalize their behavior so we can forgive them.  Additionally, we begin to find a way to rationalize our thoughts and behaviors surrounding the event or situation as our coping mechanisms.  Judgment begins to fade.  Some shreds of anger and disappointment may remain related to life events and situations not turning out as we had planned or expected.  The lethargy and defiance of the previous levels of energy also fade, and we move towards actions and behaviors of cooperation.

After many months following the loss of my job and unsuccessful searches for a new job, I began to question why things were not moving forward for me.  I came to the realization, my director was not to blame for my position being eliminated.  I accepted she had just been doing her job, and there were things outside of her control and even the organization's control impacting the necessity to eliminate my position.  Now that may sound pretty syrupy and sweet, however I still held some anger about the situation and was disappointed in my failure to move on to another position before this happened (It’s easier to find a new job when you have a job, right?).  As I continued to interview for jobs, I reframed my story around the loss of my position.  I showed up to interviews with more energy and gave credence to my previous boss and the organization for acting in the best interest of the organization and the community, even though it was disappointing for me.  

Within a few weeks, I was offered a new job over two hours from where I currently lived.  I relocated and began my new job in a city I loved near Lake Michigan.  I was living in a cottage I rented in the woods and on a private lake about 40 minutes from my job.  I thought my life was ‘coming together’ again.  

Then wham, I slowly felt something weird going on in my body.  I was eventually diagnosed with a chronic illness, and because of the weakness and fatigue I experienced I had to move closer to my work site.  In addition, my mother, who was terminally ill, began to actively die.  Mom died two days after my birthday.  Oh, did I mention during my treatment and mom’s death the new job I had started was eliminated?  Exactly eight months to the day I had begun the job, I was summoned to my boss’s office to once again hear my position was being eliminated.  

This time, I briefly sailed through the first three energy levels, then standing in my hallway one night, I asked, “Now what?”  Join me tomorrow as we explore  Level 4 and Level 5 Energy, and I’ll share with you what happened next in my life.

Stay tuned!