Five Steps to Use During Any Transition

  Are you noticing that when things change in your life, you might not be handling it as well as you would want to? Do you wish you could transition more easily so you can move forward and not get stuck in the past?

A transition means we are experiencing some sort of change in our life. This could be a promotion, a death in the family, marriage, divorce, a job loss, a move to another country, retirement, a new project, an injury or illness in oursleves or a loved one or any one of a myriad of possibilities. Sometimes the transition is within our control (i.e., we choose it) and other times it is out of our control. Research shows that even if we want the change, we still experience a certain level of stress with it.

When we experience a transition in our life we often feel anxious, scared, worried about the future, frustrated that things didn't happen the way we had anticipated and we feel like we are losing control (or we are already out of control!) The strange thing is that these emotions usually trigger us to respond in ways that make the transition even MORE difficult and can lengthen the adjustment period. I work with people to make the most out of these transitions, no matter what they are (join my mailing list to learn more http://bit.ly/1OneWorld).

For the moment, follow these 5 steps to decrease the stress surrounding transition and to speed the adjustment period:

1. Be clear about what is within your control and what is out of your control
2. Write down the stuff that is out of your control and let it go! (I know you might not want to, but try it)
3. Look for the opportunity in the situation (What can you create from this new situation?)
4. Write down 2-3 specific actions you will take to use the transition to your advantage (look for the good, the positive and the opportunities)
5. Do it!

This may seem very simplistic, but the fact is that most of us spend WAY too much time on the stuff that is OUT of our control. When we can let that go and focus on that which is within our control, identify specific actions we can take that will position ourselves to take advantage of the transition, we will regain a sense of purpose and direction even when parts of our lives are undergoing major change. Within each transition is an incredible opportunity to grow and push ourselves to our limits. I'd love to hear how you do this in your own life!