Carla, a $52-$year$-$old software engineer, has been laid off twice in her life, once because of downsizing and once because of the acquisition of her organization by a rival company. She has now hit a career plateau after working with her current employer for five years. Carla is frustrated; each time she has changed jobs, she has adapted and acquired more skills and expanded her knowledge base. Which of the following patterns best describes Carla's career progression?

A self$-$reflective spiral

A series of successive plateaus

A cycle of stability and instability

A linear progression interrupted by transitions