Transitions: Embracing New Possibilities

Transitions!

Sometimes they are forced upon us. Sometimes they are chosen. And sometimes they’re part of the march of time. Whatever the reason, I love them all.

It’s fall and when seasons change, I often start thinking about transitions.

Sometimes transitions are scary. We don’t know what we will encounter and how we will react.

Sometimes they are exciting. We have something new to look forward to and an opportunity to explore.

Sometimes they happen slowly as time marches on, and we don’t even notice them.

Sometimes they are forced on us, and we aren’t sure how we should react.

Sometimes we seek them out to control our own fate.

There are a lot of transitions happening in my world: One kid into college, two kids out of college, one kid starting a new adventure far away, and one starting a new career. We’re transitioning into a kid less house for the first time in 24 years, closing a training center to adopt to a virtual world … I could go on.

Everyone handles transitions differently, but our brains process them in similar ways. Denial, resistance, experimentation, and acceptance. Depending on what prompts the change will determine how quickly you move through each stage.

When transitions are thrust upon us, we tend to spend a lot of time in denial and resistance.

When we choose a transition, we tend to move through denial quickly but then linger in resistance and experimentation.

Regardless of the situation, the circumstances, and our own emotions, transition represents a wonderful opportunity to grow, learn, face fears, embrace challenges, and discover things about yourself that you didn’t know were possible. Without them, well, to be blunt life would be boring!

How do you manage transitions? Do you embrace them or fear them? Where do you get stuck?