Living in Transition: How to Thrive in Change

I feel like 2020 is a year of living in transition. There has been so much change, so much uncertainty and so much transition. So how do we find ways where we can thrive in change?

Change is Not Easy

Change is not easy. Times of transition can be so challenging, not just to us but also those closest to us. These changes can be good ones, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are stress free.

I’ve been thinking about how many of us are moving towards transition in the next month. At least in Alberta they are planning on reopening schools and universities. Many workplaces are moving back to normal operation, where more people will be working in their workplaces instead of remotely. Even though it is moving back towards “normal,” there are still changes due to the pandemic.  

Handling Transition Well

So how do we handle this transition well? We won’t be moving back into work and school life seamlessly. Having high expectations on our new normal can make the transition even more difficult. It is important to acknowledge that we are going to have transition, and that it may take days or weeks to find our feet with the new normal.

Go Slow

I have a friend that always reminds me to go slow in life. It might seem like a strange thing to say, but for me it’s a reminder to always take life one step of the time. By nature, I get excited about new things. I like to rush in, I often get caught up in the moment, and that doesn’t always serve me. Sometimes it means I miss the subtleties of the situation and am unaware of underlying issues. It can also mean that sometimes I exhaust myself by pouring too much of myself into the current situation.

So why should we go slow? By going slowly into new situations, it helps us be more purposeful in our interactions. Instead of jumping in, by going slow we are able to conserve our energy, assess the situation and give ourselves time to adjust to the change. By going slow into these transitions, it can help us evaluate what we do and do not like in the situation. By evaluating we can make a choice on what we will and will not allow in our lives.

Going Slow to Manage Expectations

Going slow also helps manage other people’s expectations of us. When we go in at 110% from the beginning, they will believe that this is our normal. By going slow at the beginning, we can ease into the situation and set realistic expectations.

If we go slow, this can help our physical and mental well-being. My intention is to no longer live as rushed and frantic a life. I desire to be calm and collected in the situations around me, which can be hard when I’m stressed or struggling with transition. By accepting and embracing an attitude of going slow, it will help us transition through these times of transition in a healthier and calmer way.  

Setting Good Boundaries

When we are living in transition, setting good boundaries is very important. When we are going through transitions, we do not have a regular routine.  It is more important than ever to try to create good boundaries in our lives. When we do so, it allows us to have healthy relationships to those around us.

Setting good boundaries takes bravery. I recently started a new job and already people are challenging the boundaries that I set. I have realized most people are looking at the world through their boundaries and their personal goals. The people around you generally are not considering you or looking out for you. It is not malicious in intent, but it is a reality.  It is very important that we set good boundaries to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves and our families.

The question we need to ask ourselves with setting good boundaries is this: “Are these boundaries helping me live the life that I want and aligns with my values?” This may mean having some awkward conversations and other people may not understand our boundaries. But we need to set good boundaries so that we create a new normal that leaves us feeling at peace with ourselves and others.

Live in Self Compassion

Living in times of transition also means we need to live in self-compassion. Transition leaves us between two situations, our old normal and our new normal. We can be hard on ourselves or others and have unrealistic expectations when it comes to transition.

By living in self-compassion, this allows us to find acceptance in the current moment. When we live in acceptance, it doesn’t necessarily mean we like the situation or okay with it, but we choose to accept it for the moment. By living in acceptance that things are not ideal, we can show ourselves the self-compassion we need to move into habits and routines that do make our lives better.  

When we give ourselves the time to work through transition, it can change the situation from one of stress to a realization that we are living in transition. By choosing self-compassion we can be better to those around us and to ourselves.

What is Your Transition?

In the coming weeks, are you moving towards a season of transition in your life? If so, I would love to hear about it. Feel free to comment below or sent me a personal message here. I would love to hear about how you are managing transition in your own life.