Navigating life transitions can be challenging for many people, including me. I recently had a massive transition and I wanted to share 5 ways to navigate life transitions.
If you know any part of my story, then you know I didn’t have a fantastic upbringing, and it was full of abuse, chaos, and trauma.
So, now, as an adult, I still struggle to navigate life transitions, because I never saw a healthy way of navigating transitions well.
Here are 5 healthy ways to navigate life transitions.
1. Transitions Will Happen
Knowing that transitions will happen is the first step.
Recently, I opened up my blog as a business. I know, terrifying. Literally, I had a whole night of anxiety because of it.
It’s a big thing, but it’s a great thing! Just like other transitions like getting a new job, an apartment, getting married, or adopting a dog. Those are significant life transitions, but they will happen.
But what I realized during this opening up of my blog as a business is there are patterns I have developed that may or may not be healthy.
So, in the context of transparency, I will share them with you.
2. Patterns
I have developed patterns of healthy and maybe not-so-healthy ways of navigating life transitions. Since opening up my business, I’ve realized that I have developed patterns of healthy and not-so-healthy ways to navigate life transitions.
I had what I like to call the freakout moment.
Freaking out for me would look like lots of crying, frustration, anxiety, and previously anger.
People who have been through trauma, like me, crave peace and want to be in control. Opening up my blog as a business was not always peaceful and I didn’t have control.
So, when we can’t control the outcome, it can cause anxiety, fear, and self-doubt.
All that has happened to me!
Especially fear for the future. I wanted to know if I had made the biggest mistake of my life!
This brings me to my next step: knowledge of your feelings.
3. Acknowledge Your Feelings
Life transitions are complex, so give yourself space to know your feelings.
During this most recent transition, I examined my feelings and even wrote down other times I felt those feelings when life transitions were happening.
For example, when I adopted my dog and resigned from my job in child protective services after 6 years.
Those moments were massive life transitions, and my feelings were valid, just like your feelings now.
This brings me to my next step: call for backup when needed.
4. Call For Backup
I once had a teacher write on my report card that I asked many questions, and she encouraged me to do so. She even told me in person to always ask questions.
So, to this day, I ask questions.
This leads me to my fourth tip: call for backup, AKA ask questions, and get help.
You don’t have to navigate life transitions alone.
I called, reached out to other people already a few steps ahead of me in their business, and stalked the internet for how to open up a business and what my steps were in the process.
So, don’t be afraid to call for backup, because that’s just what you need.
5. You Grow, Girl
Like what I did there? LOL
Life transitions can be significant opportunities for growth and development.
They can be opportunities to develop the skills needed and break patterns, especially if you have unhealthy patterns or have seen life transitions not handled well in your family.
So, you grow, girl! You grow into the person you are meant to be.
And yes, navigating life transitions can be scary, challenging, and terrifying, but if you don’t try to navigate them, you will never know the beauty that awaits it.
So, you grow, girl!
Conclusion About Navigating Life Transitions
Regardless of how you were taught to handle life transitions or how you handled them previously, know that they will happen, examine your feelings, look at your patterns, call for backup, and know you can grow, girl!
You can kick butt navigating life transitions!
If you want to hear more from Broken Until Now, subscribe to the blog or follow us on Instagram at @brokenuntilnow.
Blessings,
Ashley Marie
Here are a few other blog post for you to explore:
