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On Embracing the Opportunity of Transition
It’s official, we’ve transitioned into Summer! Up here in northern Vermont, it has been hot and muggy, with enough rain to encourage the grass and flowers and trees to grow thick and lush. And we are going through our own transitions as people, as well.
A common thread running through many of my conversations, professional and otherwise, during the intense tumult of 2020 is the concept of Transition. Moving from in-person activities to remote ones, switching roles in our work lives and home lives, changing our everyday behaviors, adjusting to new safety norms that seemed to change from week-to-week, and confronting the realization that we are living in a time of great disruption, and the need to transition to a more equitable society for all.
As I went into greater detail about in a previous post, it is essential to support ourselves as best we can right now, as a way to be more present and attuned to what real needs are at the moment, both individually and in our communities. As individuals, it is clear, we are in a state of transition, just as we are as a society.
We also have an opportunity to respond with courage to these challenges.
Adapt, practice flexibility. Be light footed, agile, resourceful, and informed.
Now is not the time to dig our heels in, to focus on how things have ‘always been’, to turn away from the tumult, rather to recognize what we bring to this new world we are all in the active process of creating.
What skills do you have? What do you know how to do? What can you teach others how to do?
What skills do you want to learn? Who do you know who has those skills? Can you ask them to teach you?
Now is a great time to double-down on practical skill-building. Transitions are not the time for waiting, idle, until the weather hopefully clears. Have honest conversations with yourself and your loved ones about what really matters, how you want to move through the world, and then get rid of or move away from the rest. It is an ongoing opportunity to develop your intuition, invite inspiration, to slow down and recognize what you already have, to exercise patience, and to widen your threshold of tolerance for discomfort.
So while the path forward may be unkempt, a bit wild and untamed, with the end not even remotely in sight, we do have the ability to fortify ourselves, to make solid decisions while listening to our intuition, to create community, and invest in our own authenticity.
2020 is a year of greater understanding. A year of being like water, instead of a wall, of riding the waves of uncertainty, in a well-made boat. And looking forward toward the horizon for inspiration.
I have a number of quite helpful resources and strategies for navigating transitions and building resilience, both personally and professionally. I encourage you to reach out if you are feeling unmoored or at a loss for how to find and follow your path. It is only natural to feel this way, especially now, and it is an act of both vulnerability and courage to ask for support when we need it.
With Love, Hope, and Peace -
Rachel V.