Navigating Transitions

Have you ever struggled to deal with new transitions or when new opportunities arise? First, you start to think about how great the opportunity is and how that new job is going to be super exciting. Although, you do not really take the time to think about how much weight each new opportunity costs in your life. It could be anything from a new job position, to getting married, having to navigate financial stressors or even finding a new home to live in. The reality is whatever transition you may be facing; you do not have to face it alone. In the beginning, you begin to think how am I going to get through all these things. Sometimes it feels merely impossible because a new opportunity comes with a bigger challenge. 

For me, it was not only managing graduate school but also getting a new position and trying to navigate internship as well. I am here to tell you that whatever your transition may be at this moment, do not lose hope. Sometimes we spend time telling ourselves that we will never be able to accomplish everything, or we feel discouraged because our plate just went from an appetizer to a full dinner plate. In reality though, the real challenge is not to ask yourself How can I but change the mindset to I am able to do this, and I will succeed, even if the transition is new. Personally, I had to navigate through getting a new job position which I truly enjoy but it did not come in a perfect sized box. From driving to multiple work locations, getting up earlier and dealing with my life after work everything felt heavy. Although, the feeling of heaviness will not last forever and I had to tell myself that it is just a matter of time before my goals are complete and things will slow down. 

I often would ask myself, “How will I survive?” but the real question is what will I do so that I am still taking care of myself while managing these transitions. It is not easy, but it is possible if you shift your perspective. Challenges do not always stay permanent. Change is not always meant to kill you, and it is not always easy. Although, change is what we need to help push our abilities and strengthen us to grow in a new way. Getting up earlier every morning and driving to multiple places daily has not been easy for me, but it does not mean I can’t do it. Having to manage internship responsibilities while also attending graduate classes can be overwhelming but it is more so about how you can take care of yourself during this season. 

I say this to say that when you navigate a heavy or new transition do not prioritize the outcome or what you are experiencing in the present moment. Instead, turn your critical voice off and tell yourself that this new experience will produce something new in your growth process that eventually you will need in your life moving forward, even if you can’t see it now. While you are navigating transitions, it is so easy to get hyper focused on the negative, we forget how productive we really are and how our abilities shine through the new transitions we go through once we learn how to collaborate with it. If you have to turn off your phone and disconnect from the social world, do it. If you need to make a budget and navigate your finances in a different way, then work on it. If you are in a new relationship and are afraid that things won’t work out ask yourself, “What made me choose this person in the first place,” once you realize your answer then you slowly start to look at the changes as a way that could improve your life rather than ruin it for you. 

Am I an expert on navigating transitions? No, I would be lying if I said yes but I am pushing myself to learn how to cope with them. Yes. Am I gaining more confidence and security in my life by these life changes? Yes. The key to every change is to embrace it slowly, make mistakes, acknowledge that these experiences are new and recognize that you can manage it. Lastly, do not forget to take care of yourself and find some time to separate yourself from the cycle of movement.