Surviving - and Thriving - in Transition

When there's so much uncertainty, here's how to take extra good care of yourself.

Transitions: moments in life where you are thrust - willingly or unwillingly - into change. Periods of time where whatever we thought we were certain of gets shaken up and change becomes the only constant. (Spoiler alert, change is the only constant, but as humans with our cute little human brains, we like to think we have more control that we actually do.)

Life is actually just one big string of transitions. Graduating from school, moving into a new house or apartment, moving in with a partner, quitting your job, being unemployed, starting a new job, announcing a new offering in your business, up-leveling your income, filing for bankruptcy, getting a divorce, having a baby, losing a loved one, fighting an illness, recovering from an illness … like I said, life is just one big string of transitions.

As a life coach and I specialize in helping people navigate transition by staying centered in themselves. No matter what’s happening around you, you can always find your center. No matter how much change, “center” is within you.

From my personal experience and my work with clients, this is what I know to be true:

What I know to be true about transitions

• First, in transition there is always a period of CONTRACTION. Contraction can be quite (very) uncomfortable. It might be that moment where you realize… F***… I’ve gotta shake some things up. Something’s not working. Or it might a moment where the rug has been pulled out from underneath you. The stability you trusted in is no longer trustworthy. Time might stop - you’re forced to stand still. You can’t move forward because you don't know where forward is.

  This time is usually riddled with uncertainty - What is happening? Where is this going? What will I do? Why is this happening? Will it just happen already? When will it happen? What will bloom, how will my efforts manifest, what else in my life will change?

• Second, what comes next is always EXPANSION. And I do mean always. It might not happen over night, it might feel like that dark place of contraction is lasting foreverrrr, and it might really really suck. But expansion will always happen. Always.

• And the third thing I know for sure is that the expansion will happen even more powerfully and more aligned if you are doing the WORK.

  I mean working on yourself. Asking questions, reflecting, considering what patterns and habits aren’t working or are holding you back from living an aligned life that feels peaceful and fulfilling, working on your MINDSET.

  Because, my friends, mindset is everything.

  Get your mind right and the rest will follow.

  And in transitions, usually there’s a piece of your identity that is changing. If you center yourself, if you consider where you want to go and who you want to become in this evolution, you will be — more than — okay.

Surviving Transitions: How to Take Really Good Care of Yourself

This transcends “self care.” These are practices to take extra good care of yourself when you’re going through a transition. Practices to find your center and stay centered, because those waters will get choppy, but you can ride that wave.

1. Take care of your most basic needs.

Sounds like a “duh” moment but back to the basics is the first place to start. Are you hungry? Are you tired? Are you listening to your body and honoring what it needs?

The basics are so important in moments of transition when we're thrown a little out of our routines, experience a little more stress, and have to sit in an unusual period of uncertainty. So listen to your body, give it rest and feed it well.

2. Get clarity and move with intention. 

Remember, part of a transition is the expansion. So… who do you want to become? If you’ve followed me and my work for some time, you’ve likely already done some reflective thinking and contemplative exploration. If you are brand new to this, START HERE.

This is the moment - transition - where you put your power of choice into practice.

Get clarity. What do you want? Ask yourself this question, and be OPEN to different answers (I say different because transition is change, and what you wanted 3 years ago might be different now - and that is okay!) Even if we don’t 100% know, we can plant some seeds and invoke a little guidance into the formula.

Who are you? What do you stand for? What do you want? What would be 3 amazing outcomes from this change?

3. Clean Something.

Anything. Your bedroom, your bathroom, the interior of your car, your purse (eesh, been a while since you’ve tidied up in there), your storage area, kitchen cupboards that have been a mess for months, your Google drive… clean something. Create space. Invite something new - even if you don’t know what that is just yet. You’re preparing :)

4. Make time to breathe. 

Take it all in!! Soak it up! Sit in the sun and just BREATHE. Notice the changes happening around you and let yourself be apart of them. BE PRESENT in this moment. Don't rush forward, let every single piece of the process be apart of the end result.

Even if you're unemployed and desperate for that offer to come through, or you're moving apartments and your place is in shambles and you just want it to be over… let yourself breathe HERE, NOW, savor THIS MOMENT. 

Eh Voila.

And remember, one day you will look back on this moment and it will be like a blip on the radar, you will forget the stress and unease and instead be in awe at the end result.

If you want more guidance, check out some of my online journaling resources.

Take care, love you all!

xx S