I started last week with a few hours at the beach—a walk, then some writing and daydreaming. I lay in the sand, looking up at the beautiful clouds floating past, sometimes blocking the sun, causing me to feel chilly. I wrapped my sweater around me, thinking about the times that little break from the heat of the sun was welcome. I was feeling very content in the moment, completely different from the stress and frustration I had been feeling a few hours ago.
Change is inevitable from the warmth of the sun, our mood, the circumstances of our lives, the story we tell ourselves, or our ability to be in the moment it changes; if the past year has done anything, it’s been to show us that! From the small day-to-day changes that often go undetected to the major transitions that mark the milestones of our lives.
When I reminisce, I recall the major events, marriage, career changes, births, deaths, and graduations. All of these events were transitions in my life, and likely yours as well. Some were eagerly planned for, others abrupt and sudden, yet they all had a certain amount of stress, worry, and adjustment.
The joy of bringing home a baby is mixed with the stress of not enough sleep, the worry about doing it all right, and the adjustment to a brand-new schedule.
Some transitions you do not actively seek, and others you initiate consciously.
Transitions are like chapters in your life. When you transition to a new chapter, your story becomes richer, fuller somehow. How you manage these transitions largely determines how well you adjust to the change.
This is where some of the self-awareness techniques from the last newsletter come into play. Creating a strong personal foundation helps you have the necessary tools to navigate through your transitions.
You’re also able to tune in more quickly and easily to the internal shifts that indicate you need a change.
Just as the changing seasons start with subtle changes in temperature, weather, and nature, your desire for change does as well. When you can tune in early, you allow yourself the time and space to explore what type of transition will best serve you. Often the subtle hints are ignored until it becomes something you simply cannot ignore.
Many of my clients express a variation of the same thing. “I don’t know what I want. I only know that it’s not this.” by this point, everything seems wrong to them. I know this feeling well, as I’ve experienced it many times over the years.
One client came to me with that exact issue. She wanted to quit her job, divorce her husband, and move far, far away. She said, “This has been brewing for a couple of years. It must be my ‘midlife crisis’.” Her youngest child had recently started college, and she felt the time for action was now. Over the course of the next few months, we worked on discovering what her authentic desires were and what her best course of action would be.
She began developing a personal practice that helped her tune in to her desires and inner wisdom, then took the inspired actions that came up for her. As her frustration level decreased, she was able to see more clearly, what kind of life she wanted to consciously create.
Her relationship with her husband improved. She started a small part-time jewelry-making business and cut down her hours at work. She also moved to a smaller home closer to the city, so she could more readily enjoy all of the things she loved to do.
When we ended our work together 10 months later, I asked her what the most valuable lesson was for her. She replied. “When I learned what my ‘tells’ were, I started to use them to tune in and listen, really listen to my intuition. I still stumble, but in general, everything just seems to click and flow easier.”
Understanding yourself, giving yourself the grace to feel all the things, and take action that’s aligned with your desires and values that’s pure gold. It’s not a once and done but an ongoing journey.
What are your intuitive nudged or ‘tells’? The things that give you the nudge to shift your direction?
I would love to hear from you; drop me an email or message me on social. Life’s more fun with connection.