Life can be full and vibrant. In moments of fullness, we may experience joy and wonder. However, life can be difficult and challenging. In moments of difficulty, we may experience frustration and doubt. Life is lived in the moments between fullness and difficulty, between wonder and doubt, and between joy and frustration.
Transitions—moving from one moment to another—compose our lives.
Transitions are substantial life movements. Moving from adolescence to adulthood is a significant life transition. Other critical transitions include beginning a relationship, ending a relationship, rearranging a relationship, moving to another career, accepting work promotion, dealing with health issues, transitioning gender, grieving the loss of a loved one, or facing imminent death.
Transitions are often understood as being the same as change. Change happens, the sky can be clear and sunny, then 20 minutes later dark clouds appear with thunder and rain. That is change.
Transition is the process of negotiating change.
If you are enjoying a pleasant day on the beach and a storm moves overhead, you may be upset, frustrated, and angry, even to the point of yelling at the clouds! Or, you could decide the storm was a great time to rest, go to a museum, or read. The move to frustration or acceptance is the process of transition.
The process of transition includes letting go of what was, recognizing what is, and leaning into what might be.
When the weather moves from balmy to stormy, we can let go of the idea of a delightful day on the beach. We recognize that the storm is present. Then we consider what we might do next.
Transitions are more complex than merely adapting to change. Transitions invite us to be mindful of what happens in the process of dealing with life’s changes.
Whatever life brings, it probably includes a transition.
We could say that transitions are the way we live.