3 ingredients to help get you through your life transitions

Life transitions are one or more series of events or changes that lead to a new – or radically altered – life.

Over the past few years, I’ve developed a growing interest in life transitions and how they show up, overlap and cause shifts in our lives. They’re a constant feature of life across all demographics and, at any given time, we typically experience one or more of them.

These transitions, according to Bruce Feiler, author of Life is in the Transitions, last somewhere between 12 and 18 months.

What kinds of life transitions are we talking about?

They come in many forms – some expected, some not – and they don’t always arrive one at a time.

Transitions may include changes in:

Career and Purpose

• Career change

• Starting a new business

• Retirement

• Losing a job

  
  

Relationships and Family

• Divorce

• Empty nesting

• Moving home

• Loss or bereavement

Health and Identity

• Hormonal, cognitive or physical health changes

• Shifts in diet or lifestyle

• Feelings of loneliness

• Anxiety or depression

Life’s Big Questions

• Spiritual connection

• Facing mortality

• Periods of uncertainty

• Searching for a new direction

Unexpected or planned life transitions

Just over half of these transitions (53%, according to Feiler) are unplanned.

Take one example from above; being made redundant. The very fact that such a transition can arrive without warning, leaving little time to prepare, can make it harder to deal with than something you’ve anticipated and planned for, like moving house.

Sometimes, transitions come in clusters – one change following closely on the heels of another. And often, they bring with them hidden challenges or complicating factors.

Each person’s experience is different. There’s no single formula – no neat checklist – that guarantees smooth passage. But there are approaches that can help ease the journey.

Here are three worth exploring:

1) Being adaptable

Adopting a flexible approach – even just a small shift in mindset – can help make room for change. This might mean embracing imperfection, practising gratitude, staying in the present, meeting new situations with curiosity, and actively choosing to notice what’s working.

2) Having a strong support network

If you’re fortunate enough to have a reliable network of friends, family or mentors, lean into it. These are the people who can offer guidance, reassurance and a sense of steadiness when everything else feels up in the air.

3) Adopting positive coping strategies

Not everyone has adaptability as a strong suit. Not everyone has people they can turn to. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck. There are things you can do to help yourself build resilience.

Journalling is a great place to start. It’s helpful for setting and tracking goals, building self-awareness and processing difficult emotions. It can also provide clarity and reduce stress.

Working with a coach is another supportive strategy. Because coaching is both confidential and tailored to you, it offers a unique space to draw on your strengths and experiences and make meaningful change at your own pace.

Debbie

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I provide 1:1 support to clients navigating one or more life transitions. If you're wondering whether coaching and working together might be a good fit, connect with me and let's talk.