The other day I was on a Zoom call. During check-in time I would say eighty percent of participants used some form of the word “transition.” People were changing jobs, preparing for retirement, expecting babies, moving to new states, et cetera (for some reason I like typing ‘et cetera’ out fully from time to time). Everyone was transitioning to some degree.
Speaking of transitioning, time for a new paragraph.
Whether or not Heraclitus said something like, ‘Change is the only constant,’ I still like the quote. I like it because it lands often for me. It lands when I notice myself having thoughts where I would like something to stay the same- like a routine, a schedule, the weather, the age of my children. Is that too much to ask? So the quote that Heraclitus may or may not have said reminds me that, despite our deep desire to control things and for things to stay the same, instead, life is in constant flux. And constant flux means that we live with a lot of unknown. And who likes lots of unknown?
Of course, like with arguably everything, there is a spectrum when it comes to transitions. Last weekend was a big one for our family. I would rate the weekend to be right around an eight on the 1-10 transition spectrum (one being the grocery store moved the aisle where the popcorn kernels are; but when I write that out, the popcorn kernels being moved seems more like a four or five. . . Hmm, let me know what you think equates to a level one on this transition spectrum scale). Anyway, last weekend marked the completion our first full week in our new house, our two sons got to play their first games on their new high school soccer teams, and we dropped our daughter off at her first semester of college. I find myself using the word “whirlwind,” a lot, and last weekend felt pretty whirlwind-y.
It is good to remember that whirlwind-y feelings and thoughts are, in fact, completely normal and appropriate. I am reminding myself that with transition comes excitement, trepidation, and a little of everything else in between. I encourage us all to remember that. When you feel sad, go ahead and cry; when you feel worried, name those worries with a spouse or a friend or throw up a prayer; when you feel excited, go ahead and give a big ole’ fist pump. And remember to check in with yourself.
What transition(s) am I in the midst of?
How do I best handle transitions? What do I need?
What excites me most during this season? What causes me the most anxiety?
What am I learning about myself?
Take some time to reflect on these questions, feel all the feels, and heap on the self grace!
