Cycles of Change is a method of voluntary change that we seek for ourselves. It begins with Uninformed Optimism which I personally imbibed during the late 1960’s and the ‘Flower Power’ movement. The term, ‘Flower Power’, was coined by Allen Ginsberg in 1965, who championed non-violent, peaceful protest against the Vietnam War. He went on to invite all previously persecuted groups to join the revolution, turning the phrase into a movement of peace, hope, unity, and above all – imagination! The next stage in the Cycles of Change is Informed Pessimism which initially began in December of 1969 with the Altamont Free Concert, intended as a “Woodstock West” but ended in violence. The next stage is the Valley of Despair or Hopeful Realism where we have seen our dreams come back down to reality and we are searching for lasting meaning, which for me meant that our combined efforts for Peace & Love were more of a fad. The fourth stage is Informed Optimism where you begin counting your daily blessings and begin to take one day at a time and gradually build your enthusiasm and self-confidence again. Finally is Success & Fulfillment where you come to appreciate that all life is cyclical and you find through tolerance, patience and endurance you can evolve into the best version of yourself…