Navigating life transitions
If you’ve experienced a transition in your life (which, if you’re reading this, you probably have), you likely know the wide range of emotions that come up during seasons of change. Even when we’re going through a positive change, it’s not uncommon to feel anxious, overwhelmed, and even a bit sad.
Life transitions can be anything from getting married, having kids, moving to a new city, buying a home, going through a break up, dating someone new, etc. Life is full of change, which can often bring a strong sense of excitement… as well as uncertainty.
If you’re experiencing a transition that you know is positive and healthy, you might be wondering, why does it feel so hard? And why does it bring up self-doubt when logically you know this is a change that will benefit your future?
As I reflect back on the biggest changes I’ve ever been through in my life, I feel so much gratitude for how much those transitions allowed me to grow and for how they created a depth to my life I wouldn’t otherwise have. But those adjustments were also incredibly challenging and filled with so much grief.
When we navigate change, we are often challenged to outgrow an old version of ourself to create room for a new version. This in turn allows us to create a stronger sense of our self. We are discovering (and creating) a more evolved version of ourself. This also means that we must let go of the parts that can no longer exist if we are to live in congruence with who we are now. Therefor, making space for who you are today often looks like grieving past versions of you that no longer exist.
This doesn’t mean the parts we are letting go of were necessarily “bad”, but rather, they no longer support who we want to become. This might look like letting go of outdated beliefs, setting new boundaries in relationships, being selective with how you spend your time and energy, or having to actually feel your feelings instead of coping in self-destructive ways. Healthy changes? Yes. But easy? Not at all.
This is why change takes so much courage. As much as we want to resist it, as much comfort as our “comfort zones” bring, we must be willing to embrace uncertainty and lean into the anxiety and fear that comes with change. We are constantly evolving, and I believe one of the biggest “life hacks” is the ability to tolerate the feelings that come with change and uncertainty. Otherwise, we will stay stuck in familiar cycles, behaviors, relationships, etc. that do not support the type of person we are capable of becoming.
A few questions to reflect on when navigating life transitions:
How do you navigate change?
What do you imagine for your future self?
What will it take to become this future version of yourself?
What feelings are the hardest for you to tolerate?
What is the most uncomfortable part of change for you?
What happens if you don’t embrace change?
I encourage you to think about what your life would be like without any change. As uncomfortable as change is, it’s the only way to truly grow. As someone who refuses to settle in any area of my life (because we only get this one life, after all), I’ve learned to not only welcome change, but to give myself full permission to feel all of the uncomfortable emotions that come with starting a new chapter. New beginnings hold so much hope and inspiration, and while they are certainly anxiety provoking, they are an opportunity for us to take full responsibility for creating the life we want for ourselves.
Online Therapy Services in Houston and throughout Texas
If you are looking for a Houston therapist, feel free to explore my website to see if we might be a good fit to work together. My approach is trauma-informed, person-centered, and grounded in humanistic and existential philosophy. I work with young professional women navigating anxiety, relationship struggles, and life transitions.
Please note: this blog post is for practice updates and educational purposes only. This is not a replacement for mental health counseling or therapy.
