By Doug Lange

Sometimes life feels like a yo-yo. When we're up, we brace ourselves for the inevitable downturn. When we're down, we hope—sometimes desperately—that things will swing back up. In truth, when we’re up, we can expect to go down, and when we’re down, we can expect to rise again.

That’s the Law of Rhythm at work.

This law teaches us that life moves in cycles. Everything in nature follows a rhythm—the tides, the seasons, the rising and setting of the sun. Even the planets follow predictable orbits and patterns. Our lives are no different. We each have our own rhythms, our own personal ebbs and flows.

When we’re in the thick of a hard day—or a hard year—it helps to remember: the rhythm always swings. Just like winter eventually gives way to spring, our hard seasons eventually give way to better ones. We may not always know how long the “downs” will last, but we can trust that change is inevitable, and better days will come.

My wife and I experienced this firsthand during two-and-a-half years of unemployment. It was one of the hardest things we’ve ever faced. But even when it felt endless, we reminded ourselves that it wouldn’t last forever—and it didn’t. What surprised us, though, was how different the “up” looked when it finally arrived. We went from unemployed to under-employed—not exactly where we imagined we’d be, but still a clear and welcome shift in our circumstances. And we were truly grateful for it.

What’s interesting is how that “up” eventually became a new kind of “down” for us. Over time, the work that once felt like a blessing started to feel limiting. It wasn’t enough, and we knew we wanted more. But that realization wasn’t discouraging—it was motivating. It’s something I’ve come to understand through experience: when we’re on an “up,” it doesn’t always take a crisis to knock us into a “down.” Sometimes, we outgrow our current level. We start craving something better. In that way, progress itself creates the need for more progress.

At the same time, I’ve learned from the Law of Polarity that even when we do experience a downturn, there’s always good to be found in it. That perspective changes everything. Suddenly, the “down” doesn’t feel like a loss—it feels like a launching pad.

I’ve come to appreciate the rhythm of life—the highs and lows, the ebbs and flows. I’m not one who enjoys suffering (and I’m certainly not standing in line for seconds when it comes to hard times), but I do enjoy change. The rhythm keeps things moving. Without it, I’d probably feel stuck or bored. It's in those shifts that life becomes interesting, even exciting.

Now, when I find myself in a low season, I look for the highs that are coming. And when I’m in a high season that starts to feel stagnant, I trust that it’s time to level up again. It’s all part of the process.

In the end, life is good—all of it—when we have eyes to see and a mind open enough to understand.

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