You just got downsized, you just got a new boss, your partner just broke up with you, you just found out you’re going to be a father, you’ve enrolled in college, you just got married, your son just had a daughter, you’ve been transferred, you’ve been promoted, you’re going into the army now . what do all these things have in common? Change!
In coaching, I like to label these things immediately “transitions.” Why?
First of all, this word indicates a bridge, and points toward the future. All of these things signal the end of something, but also, by definition, the beginning of something new.
Some of these transitions already have names (being engaged is the transition between being single and being married), and others do not, but there are some things all transitions have in common.
Learning how to become change-proficient, or resilient, is a great emotional intelligence skill to have.
WHAT DO TRANSITIONS HAVE IN COMMON
1. The involuntary ones are the hardest.
2. Transitions bring deep periods of introspection.
3. Transitions cause us to question who we are and who we’ll be when they’re over. They are therefore wonderful opportunities for evolving.
4. All transitions involve a loss.
5. Transitions involve ambivalent feelings and therefore conflict.
6. Transitions are a part of life, because life is change.
7. Some transitions have to be accomplished after the fact, for instance if a car accident leaves you blind, or you’re asked to resign, of a loved one suddenly dies.
8. If you fight a transition, it will be harder to maneuver.
WHAT HELPS
Good social support during a transition is helpful. People who knew you before and will know you after. Maintaining as regular a schedule as possible and exercising good self-care. Massages and tai chi are soothing for the body when the mind is in turmoil, and coaches are great as someone with perspective who can listen with expertise and help you maneuver your way through.
Handling one transition well can help you handle all the future ones. One thing we know we can count on for sure is change, so why not work to actively master it?
Susan Dunn, MA, Marketing Coach,
http://www.webstrategies.cc. Marketing consultation,
implementation, website review, SEO optimization, article
writing and submission, help with ebooks and other
strategies. Susan is the author or How to Write an eBook
and Market It on the Internet. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc
for information and free ezine. Specify Checklist.
