When reptiles like lizards and snakes grow, they completely shed their skin so that it adapts to their new size and they don't get trapped and die. Nature teaches us a lesson by its example. In this time of unprecedented change, how much good it would do us to renew ourselves and adapt to our new lives.

One of Darwin's maxims is: "It is not the strongest or the most intelligent of the species that survives, but the one most responsive to change." We see that success and achievement—emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being—depend on how well we adapt to the challenges along the way. The obvious question is: How do we deal with them?

According to some studies, people adjust to change in a sequence of seven predictable phases. I invite you to identify which stage of adaptation you are in.

The phases of change:

 1.-The loss. In this phase, we feel a hole in our stomach from the sensation that what we fue ya no seráWe still don't know if the change will be for the better or for the worse. We feel powerless, threatened, paralyzed, and filled with uncertainty. We often utter phrases like: "What have I done to deserve this?", "Why me?", "It's not fair," and so on.

2.-Doubt. During this period, we feel resentful and doubt the facts, struggle to find information that validates the change, and resist it. We may be aggressive, accuse others, and feel intense anger. Common phrases include, "This doesn't make sense," "What's my fault?"

3.-The discomfort. At this stage, we feel anxiety, fear, and confusion. We become unproductive while our brain organizes, categorizes, and finds the words to define the change. We feel worried, irritable, slower, disorganized, overthinking, and withdrawing. We tend to say, "I'm exhausted," "I'm in so much pain," "anything is better than this," to name a few.

4.-The danger zone. This is when we feel a strong temptation to give up. We reach the crucial point of choosing between moving on to the next stage and discovering the opportunities that change offers, or allowing fear or pain to consume us and returning us to stage one. Common phrases include: "I've been trying so hard for this," "I'm useless."

5.-The discovery. This phase represents the light at the end of the tunnel.

We can finally see the options and possibilities that present themselves. We are optimistic, creative, energetic, and content. The phrases at this stage are: "Maybe it's not so bad," "Maybe it was the best thing," "I see an opportunity."

6.-Understanding. Here we believe in change and embrace it. We become productive. We focus on the benefits and are open to suggestions. We are cooperative, practical, and fair. The phrases are: "I feel great," "I now realize that the change was necessary," "I know what I have to do."

7.-Integration. Here we've integrated challenges and victories into our lives. We offer to help and advise others, we are generous, we are open to what the future holds, and we embrace change as part of our maturity and growth. We tell ourselves things like, "I've grown a lot from this experience," "Despite everything, I've learned a lot," "I feel at peace."

Some of us have gone through these stages, some more quickly, others more slowly. The truth is, as the Arabic proverb says: "If you need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your own arm."