We can move through transitions, intense periods of self-discovery, healing, and transformation with ease and grace.
Although moving through any transition may make us feel that we are losing our bearings, they are spiritual signs that we are processing new and stored information simultaneously and expanding our conscious awareness. Transitions can also be seen as times of gathering strength physically, mentally, and spiritually Share on X in preparation for the next step forward in life—just as it is necessary to spring up at the end of a diving board to gather momentum for a full twist into the pool.
While moving through transitions, you may experience physical and emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and/or disorientation. At such times you might get confused and start misplacing items, bumping into walls, or dropping things. I get lost driving to places I know, run into furniture, and even forget where I am. Fortunately, now that I am aware of what transitions feel like I no longer confuse them with early dementia, as I once did.
During a transition, you need to slow down and center yourself, be aware of all that is happening around you, and remain true to yourself and your vision for the future. Share on X To ground yourself during such stressful periods when everything is in flux, you can breathe deeply; touch the center of your chest and open the heart; take a walk or work in the garden, using the elements of nature to calm you; or bathe to cleanse your energy field.
An experience a few years ago reminded me that transitions are often initiated when spirit brings in new information to prepare us for the future. My husband, Doug, had presented me with a stunning, blue-violet tanzanite ring for my forty-seventh birthday while we were on vacation in Panama. Because we were traveling out of the country and needed to keep the ring safe, we affectionately started calling it “Precious.”
Six months later, I stopped by the jewelry store and had the ring cleaned while I waited. As soon as they were finished, I immediately placed the ring back on my finger, put on my leather glove, and left the store. When I arrived home, I took off my glove to admire the sparkling ring and noticed a small hairline crack inside the stone. As the day went on, the crack grew larger until it looked like the stone had shattered inside. Doug and I called the jeweler and our insurance company to ask about our options for replacing the stone.
Trusting that what was happening was not to upset but to inform me, with conscious awareness I observed the replacement process and contemplated the meaning of the incident for my life. First, the jeweler offered to replace the stone without any further charge to us. Then our insurance company sent a check to the jeweler to cover the cost of a new stone. Witnessing everything, I became convinced that the stone had imploded from the inside out as a spiritual sign of a powerful transition to come. My intuition was affirmed two weeks later when I had a suspicious mammogram that began a year-long process of self-healing and personal transformation.
The metamorphosis of the piece of jewelry ultimately foreshadowed another important transition in my life. First, I was led to replace the old stone with something new to symbolize letting go of the past and opening to the future. When the jeweler brought out a deep blue sapphire stone for me to examine, I chose it as a symbolic declaration for my future. Six months later, unbeknownst to me, my husband bought the damaged tanzanite stone from the jeweler, had it sent to a gem cutter in California, and on my forty-eighth birthday presented me with a beautiful tanzanite necklace. It was “Precious” transformed into two stones, a heart and a triangle joined together on top. Little did I know at the time that these two shapes would become the symbols for soul-hearted partnership, a concept I would channel for my first book within the next year.
Here are 5 ways to remain positive and centered while moving through intense transitions:
•Regard such shifts as natural life occurrences, seeing parallels in the natural world. This allows you to act in ways that direct more of your creative energies into new possibilities for your future.
•Let go of relationships that tie you to the past and are no longer appropriate for your life while sustaining the others through healthy detachment and unconditional love.
•Clear potential energy blocks so that you remain an open channel of creative energy. Share on X Be sure to release any pattern of resistance or avoidance, which only intensifies your transition and in some cases produces a physical, emotional, or financial crisis.
•De-clutter your environment with people or things that are inappropriate to your being, drain your physical energy and generate stagnancy and illness.
•Slow down, breathe, and ground yourself. Spending time in nature, getting into water such as a bath, shower or pool, taking a walk or doing yoga will calm and center your energies.
There’s so much tremendous good and growth that comes from transformation. Staying grounded in the middle of the storm is really difficult. It’s hard and it’s scary. The unknown is a scary, scary place. It’s only when we’re face down in the thick of it that we begin to believe that we have what it takes to see it through, no matter what the outcome.
Absolutely Peggy! Thank you for your insightful comment. Much love
Now I understand why I go through the periods of walking into walls, constantly dropping everything I pick up, etc! In the future I will now embrace them as my periods of transition to better things. Thank you for the tips on how to stay positive during these times. I usually go crazy! 🙂
I think it’s an interesting paradox that to get through transitions more quickly we need to slow down and make more space to “just be.” The less I try to control the process the more reasonable it feels. Thanks!
I love that you have physical symbols of your powerful changes! Someone we forget where we’ve been and how we’ve become.
Your personal story has touched my heart. Thank toy for helping me see other ways I can help me and my clients through their chances.
Isn’t it interesting that our first instinct in a transition – or when the physical, emotional or spiritual warning signs begin – is resistance, good old fight or flight instinct? Fear of the unknown, fear of change, fear of losing ourselves… yet in releasing resistance we open to possibility.
Love the navigational advice, Debra <3
Transition and change can be hard. But your ways are so beautiful and easing to the whole experience. Over the years I have grown to love change. It always teaches me more, hones me more.
Thank you for this beautiful and insightful post.
Much Love,
Z~
Timely, phew. I was weathering a transition in annoyance and then read this. I am melting into grace and acceptance. Wish I could have this access more easily! Annoyance and its buddies stress and anger are such a waste of time and energy!
Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Glad that I can be of assistance with melting into grace and acceptance…Much love Sue
This is an amazing story, Debra – thank you for sharing it. YOU are precious! xo, Reba
Thank you Reba for your kind words and beautiful being! When I wear the ring, I am constantly reminded in a loving way!
Thank for sharing your lovely wisdom. I am transitioning so much and there are days where I can feel frustrated. Thank you for reminding me to slow down and be gentle with myself.
Transitions are such powerful times and opening to the change with grace and ease is a lovely reminder that we have a choice. I love your story of the ring and transformation. I often think when I break something that a powerful change is coming!
the perfect text for me to read today – thank you. I woke up this morning realising that a 7 year long transition is about to be complete. And what a journey…….
Your message reminded me of the blessings and teachings I have received during this time.
Thank you for sharing your personal story along with your advice. Those stressful periods in my life, I usually try to connect more with the nature so as to get grounded. I also try to eat foods with high energy to balance that draining and tiring feeling.
Zaria
Hello Debra,
I just found your website and blog and really appreciate your take here on moving through transitions with ease. A lot of what you talk about reminds me of what I am learning through studying (or more importantly PRACTICING) mindfulness. I especially liked this “Regard such shifts as natural life occurrences, seeing parallels in the natural world. This allows you to act in ways that direct more of your creative energies into new possibilities for your future.” I think this is a really cool way to look at transitions, especially ones that are difficult or difficult to understand. Sometimes we so much just need to slow down, center ourselves, and do our best to see what it is we can learn from a situation, and I think looking to the natural world makes so much sense.
I’ve had my share of transitions for sure the last few years and am grateful that I have access to so much good info out there for how to deal with these transitions. I just wanted to say thanks for an enlightening post and I hope you have a great day! 🙂