Life is all about navigating transitions. Transitioning from high school to college, from college to the work force, from the work force to grad school… and back to the work force, from one project to another, from one location (city, state, country) to another, receiving a promotion, starting a relationship, raising children, retiring, suffering a personal setback, suffering the loss of a family member or friend.
Some transitions require little thought or effort, while others require a lot of planning and preparation… still others happen suddenly without any advanced notice. Some transitions are welcomed enthusiastically and with open arms, others are feared, dreaded, resisted.
When I was much younger, I had an excellent resource to help me navigate transitions: my older sister, Monica. Coincidentally (or maybe not?), I attended the same university as Monica (Go Blue!), and we held many of the same part time jobs during high school and college. I could always count on my sister to share her own personal experiences with me as I made these transitions.
I believe that maintaining a positive attitude can help ease any transition. In addition, having a resource — such as a sibling, friend, colleague, or mentor — who has experienced a similar transition can also help make the transition a successful one. Thinking back, my most successful transitions often involved having my sister or someone else share their own experiences. Hearing about others’ experiences can help identify best practices and lessons learned. Having a mentor can be extremely helpful — someone who knows you well and can serve as your sounding board, offer you advice or suggestions, offer you a different perspective, offer helpful introductions to others that may have experienced the same transition or who can be helpful to you during your transition.
Thinking about your own transitions, which ones were the most challenging and why were they so challenging? Which ones were the most successful and what made them so successful? I’d love to hear thoughts from others.