Why Evolve, not Transform

In 2023, when I decided to radically shake up my coaching practice that I had since 2009, I rebranded my practice, Evolution. And I did it for a reason.

I hate the word transformation.

And honestly, the interwebs are rife with promises of “transformation” and “healing.” We see it all the time.

But in seeking transformation, we begin to turn away from the two most important parts of our future growth: our past and our essential self.

I’ve found that whenever the word “transformation” comes up, it is rooted in something that is subtly pernicious. When we crave transformation, we often see ourselves as never enough… that in order to feel peace, joy, and fulfillment, we must turn our back on our essential self and create something new.

It is within this action of transformation that we end up getting ourselves more stuck.

For many of us, our past holds trauma (👋), poor decisions (👋), shoulda woulda coulda’s (👋), and so much more. And we might not have healed from these. And then, in our effort to “heal,” we begin a “transformation.” But in our effort to transform, we turn our backs on the experiences that have made us who we are today.

It leads to a severe disconnect between our authentic selves and these idealized versions that we don’t actually resonate with.

Instead, we should be seeking personal evolution. And when we focus on evolving ourselves, both micro and macro growth is abundant.

So what do I mean by “evolution?” Let me first turn to sciency things.

Two very quick (and important) points about evolution

Note: you don’t have to actually believe in evolution to simply understand the points that I am making here. I’m not going to judge you about your personal beliefs.

Evolution is change over time, but it doesn’t mean perfect change

Science argues that over a very long time period, we see evidence of change over time. In the dinosaurs, we saw gradual changes that helped different species adapt and survive. But, this change over time isn’t perfect; it can be sloppy and full of unintended consequences in the future. Just the other day, another research study was published, demonstrating early genes that helped us ward off disease from their sheep and cattle are also linked with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis.

So evolution can help us survive, but it doesn’t always help us thrive.

We can set ourselves up best by building an intentional foundation of how we want to evolve. But then we have to give ourselves grace.

Evolution is both “static” and dynamic

One of my favorite theories is the punctuated equilibrium theory (PET), as it offers an explanation of why we see long periods of stasis and then short bursts of significant change.

Stasis is often perceived incorrectly - it doesn’t mean that growth doesn’t occur. It simply occurs on a smaller scale over a longer period of time. These changes form the foundational building blocks upon which a burst of rapid change occurs.

The burst of change is often a result of an event that “punctuates” the equilibrium and encourages (or forces) sudden change to occur.

Evolution, personal growth, and you

So what does this mean for us as individuals?

What we consider “surviving” now is different from what we considered “surviving” in the past. That is okay. But that also means that some of our past decisions, even if we meant well, might have put us at a disadvantage now.
The “you” of the present is a result of change over time. The past, whether we like it or not, has shaped us. A critical part of personal evolution is honoring the insights of our past and then letting go of the hold they have on us. These insights help us heal and be smarter, more intentional, and more deliberate about our growth journey now.
We are growing and developing, even in periods of stasis. Since most of our lives will be spent in “stasis,” a deliberate approach to incremental growth is critical. Yet, most people lack a deliberate approach to small, incremental growth. They are enthralled with the empty promise of transformational change.
We seek rapid growth, but because it often happens as a result of punctuated equilibrium, we often cannot control its occurrence. In the few opportunities that we do have control, we CAN institute a period of rapid change, BUT it is physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting.
If we have incrementally built, over time, an intentional foundation for personal evolution, we can alleviate some of this physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual of growth and better prepare ourselves for the experience of fast, big, and long-lasting change.

Preparing for Growth, our linked integrative breathwork experience

Our linked breathwork experience is somatic, meaning that we will use our breath to link our mind and body, allowing ourselves to connect with what Growth feels like.

While you might encounter many feelings (as growth is multifaceted), we will leave having connected with what success and achievement feel like as part of our growth journey. This is an uplifting hour!

Here are a few questions to consider in preparation for Growth: