As we begin to change our thoughts and beliefs in the process of becoming our best self, there is a continuum that we all follow as we synthesize a new concept or action into our life.
To be truly successful in incorporating a new thought pattern into our life, we must allow both the head and the heart to get involved.
Without both emotional and intellectual understanding, most new ideas fall by the roadside.
The stages of understanding can best be described as follows.

1. This sounds interesting.
   We move along through life and somewhere in our travels, we run into a thought or concept that we hadn't encountered before.
   We find it intriguing, although it also hurts our head a little bit.
   Once something catches our attention like that, there is an unspoken (and un-named, as far as I know) law of the universe that keeps bringing that idea or thought into our life.
   It's the very same as buying a new car and suddenly noticing that every other car on the road is the same brand and model as the one we just purchased.
   It's not that there were not that many before we purchased, it's just that now our focus is on that car.
   
2. I'm beginning to understand this concept.
   The more we run into the concept, the more we are able to wrap our brain around this new thought.
   Each time we encounter it, the wider and more accepting our brain becomes.
   After a while, we can think about it without our head hurting, and we can begin to see how it might apply to our life.
   We become open to the idea that this new idea or belief can fit into our life without jeopardizing who we are.
   
3. I'm starting to change what I do in accordance with this new concept.
   We start noticing that this new thought or belief is having an impact on our life, as we start taking action based on this thought.
   It may be fast or slow, but each action we take in harmony with that new idea makes it a stronger part of our essence.
   
4. I feel like I'm about 50% of the way to incorporating this concept into my life.
   We go along with our lives and one day we notice that the actions we have been taking have brought us just about halfway towards making this idea part of our belief system.
   We find that interesting and start to see the benefits of incorporating that concept into our life, making us want to pursue it even more.
   
5. This new belief is now part of my life 100%.
   We totally embrace the new belief and find it amazing that we ever thought or believed differently.
   It is now just part of who we are and we rarely give it a second thought.
   It constitutes true growth and development.