This is a guest post by Krista MacGregor, a health coach with a wonderful message. If you suspect you’re stuck in a relationship or situation that no longer serves, listen up. If you’re wondering what you want to be when you grow up, well, this is for you too.

I’d like to share a Universal Concept that I live by and it NEVER steers me wrong. Have you heard of Red Lights and Green Lights from the Universe?

Neither one is better than the other. That’s the key concept. A green light experience is when you follow a path, trail, or journey toward reaching a destination in your life-where you want to be- and the Universe says, “GO FOR IT”.

Through life experience, and lots of struggles, I have learned to pay attention to what happens each day as it unfolds. I have learned that when the Universe wants me to move forward with something it gives me a green light. Every time I hear a “yes” and every time I get permission to move forward with an action step the Universe is clearly communicating that I am on the right path and following a direction that will lead me to the next right step. Ya with me so far?

A Red Light Experience is when you take what you think is the next right step, and it doesn’t work out. Typically some sort of rejection. Red Lights are protectors. They are signals from the Universe, that the action you are taking is not the BEST way to get to where you want to go. You know what I mean?

Red Lights are not BAD. I have learned that when the Universe tells me to “STOP” or when I come up against a brick wall and cannot go any further, that the Universe is protecting me, taking care of me, and will give me a sign whether to move forward or to make some “still” time to reflect on what I am trying to do and why it might not be working.

Red lights have become a blessing, much like green lights. They have stopped me from moving forward with bad business decisions, poor health decisions, and most of all have signaled me to “COOL IT” in destructive relationships. It took many years of “trying” to force results (control issue!!!) that I was not in control of and getting red lights all over the place. By not paying attention to the Universe’s signals, I was getting hurt. This was clearly the Big U’s way of trying to protect me…and I wasn’t “awake” to see the writing on the wall.

When I began a journey, almost four years ago, to be aware of signals coming into my every day life, I began to learn the rhythm of the Universe and slowly but surely started dancing with it.

From going to college to earn a degree that I wasn’t really keen on, to staying in an unhealthy marriage (putting it mildly), to sticking with some of my bad habits because they made me feel good at the time…but were killing me, to staying in unhealthy jobs for far too long; were all challenging, heart wrenching, but beautifully powerful lessons to pay attention to the Universe’s signals-red and green lights.

Most recently, I was stuck in a work environment that was not healthy for me. It kept me stagnant, didn’t want me to grow to my potential, and wanted to keep me “caged” in limited success and earning power.

I began to look for another full-time job (two years ago) and in EVERY situation whether my decision or theirs, it did not work out. ALL RED LIGHTS! It forced me to look at where I really wanted to be.

I have been passionate about healthy eating and nutrition since getting pregnant with Jacob, 21 years ago. At that time, healthy eating was not as controversial and the Standard American Diet (SAD) was the best most of us knew. I delved into my research on organic eating and healthy food integration for having a healthy pregnancy and fell in love with my research (and the power packed food I was putting into my machine).  Needless to say, Jacob was a TEN POUND baby boy who grew to be well over six feet tall, and his baby brother Joshua even taller! My sons were raised on a clean food diet.

Nutrition has become an intuitive practice in my every day life. The natural choice for me was to get my certification in nutrition and health. Soon after I started school, I found a 20 hour a week job working for a food equity and food justice nonprofit. Aha! The Universe was leading me down the right path! All green lights from there.

Pay attention to your red and green lights. When the Big U puts green lights in front of you, don’t let fear stop you. Reap the rewards the green lights are leading you to. Keep taking baby steps and small actions toward your goals. Red lights are gifts of protection and guidance. Thank the Universe, for its amazing guidance!

Before I knew it, I had created the life I previously had only dreamed about. Simple, exciting, fulfilling, challenging, and filled with gratitude.

Cheers to the Lights!

If you’d like to read more about Krista and her coaching services, look her up at http://krista-macgregor.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com/blog