Transitioning in life is inevitable, as we deal with so many throughout our childhood, adulthood and even later adulthood. I’m finding that when I make a major transition in my life, I have feelings of anxiety. I began to notice this as I advanced in my career. With each career advancement, I became overwhelmed about a month after starting my new role. I could not assess what was going on until I continued transitioning into new opportunities, such as grad school, wedding planning and moving. As I continued to realize this, I decided to make a plan to help ease my anxiety about starting new journeys in my life.
- Acceptance: The first part is accepting that a new journey is beginning and being cognizant of what is happening. Acceptance allows us to not fight against the process, but rather lean into the process.
- Prepare: Much like acceptance, preparation allows you to be focused in what you are transitioning to. Preparation to start a new journey could be, researching, writing down your goals, buying new clothes, sharing with loved ones your upcoming changes.
- Ask: When transitioning to a new journey, it could be helpful to seek out someone who has experienced what you are getting ready to experience. Ask for advice, such as what was helpful for them, what skill set is needed, how to best navigate the situation etc. Seeking support can help one feel as if they are not alone and someone can relate to what they are experiencing.
- Affirm: This is the most important tip of all. Know that transitioning can be challenging, but with every challenge comes a new set of skills and insight. Always tell yourself you are doing a good job- because you are. Engage in some “me time” and take time to process what is going on, without distractions and others around. Examples of affirmations: “I have the power to….”, “I am strong enough”, “I can accept new changes in my life”, ‘I have the ability to seek support when….”.
Take care,
Gwena’e
Coffee Stretch 
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