Defining Life Transitions

Transition is change. They are life’s way of asking us to reexamine our present way of being and force us to develop and grow as individuals. But even when we know that these life transitions are for our own benefit, can they can still be very difficult to deal with emotionally. These transitions can be predictable, such as a move across country or upcoming marriage, or they can be unpredictable, such as the death of a loved one or a sudden loss of a job. Regardless of the event, every transition we experience forces us to make changes to our existing life.  We know that change is an inevitable part of life, but that doesn’t mean it’s always comfortable.  This is especially true when the shifts are sudden or unexpected. At these times, we may struggle because our situations don’t match our expectations for how we thought our lives would be.

With change comes resistance. A major life transition closes one chapter of our life and opens a new one.It’s often a very difficult adjustment as we endure intense feelings of fear and uncertainty.Transitions can be expected or unexpected, welcomed orunwelcomed, chosen or imposed, sudden or gradual.Our natural tendency is to resist change in our routines.We can feel challenged by transitions that take us away from what is familiar. We may feel overwhelmed, disillusioned, or angry.We may blame ourselves for situations that are out of our control.