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Negotiating Difficult
Life Transitions
By Garrett Coan
Life is a process of beginnings and endings. In both
life and nature, there are times when things move
slowly and dont seem to change very much. Then,
suddenly, things change quickly.
Moving from August to September, the weather
changes gradually at first, and then it seems
that suddenly summer is over. It is the same in
our lives; transitions are as natural as the
changing leasons.
Life transitions are challenging because they
force us to let go of the familiar and face the
future with a feeling of vulnerability. Most life
transitions begin with a string of losses:
The loss of a role
The loss of a person
The loss of a place
The loss of your sense of where you fit in the world
Any significant loss makes most people feel fearful and anxious. Since your future may now be filled with questions, it is normal to feel afraid. We live in a culture that has taught us to be very uncomfortable with uncertainty, so we are anxious when our lives are disrupted.
On the positive side, these transitions give us a chance to learn about our strengths and to explore what we really want out of life. This time of reflection can result in a sense of renewal, stability, and a new equilibrium.
A life transition can be positive or negative, planned or unexpected. Some transitions happen without warning, and they may be quite dramatic, as in cases of accidents, death, divorce, job loss, or serious illness.
Other life transitions come from positive experiences such as getting married, going away to college, starting a new job, moving to a new city, or giving birth to a child. Even though events like these are usually planned and anticipated, they can be just as life-altering as the unexpected events. Whether positive or negative, life transitions cause us to leave behind the familiar and force us to adjust to new ways of living, at least temporarily.
They can leave us feeling completely unprepared and we may be thrown into a personal crisis, feeling shocked, angry, sad, and withdrawn.
Examples of Life Transitions
Life transitions can include any of the following:
Accidents
Buying a house
Changing jobs
Divorce
Getting married
Having a baby
Leaving for college
Relocation
Retirement
Selling a house
Serious illness
Significant loss (of a person, job, pet, or anything important)
Starting a career
<back
Life Transitions
By Garrett Coan
Life is a process of beginnings and endings. In both
life and nature, there are times when things move
slowly and dont seem to change very much. Then,
suddenly, things change quickly.
Moving from August to September, the weather
changes gradually at first, and then it seems
that suddenly summer is over. It is the same in
our lives; transitions are as natural as the
changing leasons.
Life transitions are challenging because they
force us to let go of the familiar and face the
future with a feeling of vulnerability. Most life
transitions begin with a string of losses:
The loss of a role
The loss of a person
The loss of a place
The loss of your sense of where you fit in the world
Any significant loss makes most people feel fearful and anxious. Since your future may now be filled with questions, it is normal to feel afraid. We live in a culture that has taught us to be very uncomfortable with uncertainty, so we are anxious when our lives are disrupted.
On the positive side, these transitions give us a chance to learn about our strengths and to explore what we really want out of life. This time of reflection can result in a sense of renewal, stability, and a new equilibrium.
A life transition can be positive or negative, planned or unexpected. Some transitions happen without warning, and they may be quite dramatic, as in cases of accidents, death, divorce, job loss, or serious illness.
Other life transitions come from positive experiences such as getting married, going away to college, starting a new job, moving to a new city, or giving birth to a child. Even though events like these are usually planned and anticipated, they can be just as life-altering as the unexpected events. Whether positive or negative, life transitions cause us to leave behind the familiar and force us to adjust to new ways of living, at least temporarily.
They can leave us feeling completely unprepared and we may be thrown into a personal crisis, feeling shocked, angry, sad, and withdrawn.
Examples of Life Transitions
Life transitions can include any of the following:
Accidents
Buying a house
Changing jobs
Divorce
Getting married
Having a baby
Leaving for college
Relocation
Retirement
Selling a house
Serious illness
Significant loss (of a person, job, pet, or anything important)
Starting a career
<back
"Life transitions
are challenging because they force us to let go of the familiar and face the
future with
a feeling of vulnerability"
are challenging because they force us to let go of the familiar and face the
future with
a feeling of vulnerability"