Transitioning Through Change

Four months ago, I wrote about change and the challenges that some people have in embracing it. It was easy to write since I’ve experienced so much change in my life.

Fast forward two months … my husband and I decide to make a major change. We’re expediting our two-year timeline and moving by mid-year to be closer to my parents. The decision was easy; the transition is not.

I’m told I excel at project management – in this case, it’s organizing everything that has to be done to leave Atlanta and planning our new home renovation in Sarasota. I welcome new adventures, dreaming about what’s next and figuring out how to get it done. When I fully focus forward, I thrive.

During this particular change, I’ve discovered that the excitement of what’s next is minimized when things in the present are unfinished and I’m not totally moving forward. In fact, I struggle with the in-between part; I’m not settled when I feel like I have “one foot in and one foot out.”

So, what to do?

• lament my situation and try to push through the discomfort
• force the unfinished “now” to be finished, regardless of impact
• focus on what lies ahead
• find ways to appreciate the present, as it will quickly become the past

As author Robbie Shell says, “Transitions in life can offer opportunities for discovery.” This experience has taught me to embrace the “one foot in and one foot out” approach; I’m choosing both #3 and #4.

This Week: Reflect on any change (big or small) that you are making, or want to make. As you think about your level of energy, where is the highest concentration? If it’s on the present, do you need to increase it on the future so that you actually make the change? If it’s on the future, are you missing an opportunity to be grateful for the “why” you are making the change? After all, navigating the transition from your present to your future is the only way to truly change your past into your present.