"With fits and starts"

This is the way my old fashioned , cranky, but often wise grandma used to describe how things sometimes went.  One example of this would be how our season of Spring is occurring this year, (by the way, happy first day of Spring!) Another example of this is the way life happens when we suddenly decide to re-invent ourselves, or our lives.  It is not easy, and takes some tenacity. When things aren't working, we have two choices: muddle by, or take the often painful step to change it.  I am in the middle of the second choice.  Make a ripple, know that things will smooth out, see what happens.