Transitions Are Unavoidable
Transitions can be wonderful points in time but they can be difficult emotionally. And yet transitions are unavoidable in life. There’s the transition from birth to child to teenager to adult to elderly to death. There are the transitions in all relationships from first introductions to getting to know each other to making long-lasting and strong connections. A wedding is a perfect example of huge transition in a relationship. Whether you are already living together or not, the moment you are married, the energy in the relationship changes. A job change is another big transition in life—welcomed or not—that can have a great impact on you, your self-image and all aspects of your life well beyond the work situation itself. Any and all of the feelings you have during life’s transitions are perfectly normal.
The Fall Transition Can Test Your Emotions
Seasons offer yet another kind of transition to our lives and some of these transitions are harder for some than for others. I know lots of people who welcome fall and winter and aren’t too thrilled when summer rolls around. Others long for spring and summer and struggle with the cooler months. I am in the camp of those who suffer the transition to fall. I don’t want to give up my child-like carefree feeling of summer and I don’t want it to be too cold outside. And though I love the crisp air and I can get into the back-to-school productive feeling of fall, I mourn the loss of everything summer-like. Yes, these are contradictory feelings, as is often the case in life experience. You can be both excited about the future while you also mourn the past.
Explore What The Transition Signifies
One way to deal with the conflicting feelings that a transition evokes is to consider what the transition means to you and explore alternative perspectives. Yes, autumn signifies the end of summer, but it also is the time to prepare for what’s ahead, a time to consider the big picture of the future in spring—and in life. Fall is so many things beyond a weather change. It’s the time to plant bulbs that will spring in spring. It’s the time to balance light and darkness when during the equinox, day and night are of equal lengths. It’s the time to let go of any burdens we are carrying—just as trees let their leaves fall—and be generous to ourselves and to others. And it’s the time to acknowledge the impermanence of life. The last point is probably why some feel sad during this time. As we turn to autumn, remember that this is just nature’s reminder of the cycle of life. We can strive to experience each moment as fully as we can and know that whatever that moment brings—sadness, joy, excitement—it will change! Whether the transition is a career change, a relationship change, or a change of season, there are many ways you can view those transitions that help you to understand your life and your purpose.
Appreciating Life’s Transitions
The opportunity to appreciate the moments of a life’s transition is so fleeting so I offer this advice: even if it feels uncomfortable, take advantage to reflect and be grateful for those transitions. Our great ability to feel is a big part of the human experience that we can easily downplay or even ignore. Honor your messy humanness by acknowledging that with life comes many different points of change, some painful and some glorious. Use any transition as an opportunity to sow the seeds of your future. Let the transition mark a new chapter in your life as you create new adventures. Be kind to yourself no matter what. And so as I face the fall, I choose to see the wonders it brings. I harvest the late vegetables from our garden then I prepare for its winter rest. I give myself permission to feel whatever I am feeling while I say goodbye to this summer. And at the same time I welcome fall activities like baking and apple picking. I bid you all a meaningful ride as you experience your own transitions and sow the seeds for your future.
XOXO Rachel
Wondrance 