Key Takeaways
- Life is full of transitions, and they’re often accompanied by a fair amount of stress.
- Recognizing when your life is in transition is important.
- There are steps you can take to help get through life’s transitions.
Socrates said that to know thyself is the beginning of wisdom. This is certainly true when it comes to transitions in life – recognizing that your life is in transition is key to managing it.
Life is full of transitions: marriage, job loss, new job, death of a spouse, and divorce being a few examples. We go through anywhere from five to eight of these transitions in our lifetimes. Oftentimes, we’re unaware that we’ve begun going through the transition until someone brings it to our attention or we’re in the midst of it and figure it out ourselves.
Therefore, it’s important that you know yourself, so you can begin the steps required to handle a life transition. In particular, there are four steps you can take to help you navigate your way through a transition.
First, check your cashflow. If you’re in a transition, it could mean major changes to your income and expenses. You want to make sure this doesn’t get in your way – if you can’t pay your bills, it makes it very difficult to think about anything else. So make sure your cashflow is taken care of, and if it’s not in order, come up with a plan for it.
Second, do something simple: complete a T chart. Take a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle and another line across the top of the paper. Above the first column, write “What’s Working.” Above the second column, write “What’s Not Working.” Brainstorm and write everything that comes to mind. Then circle the top three things in each column. These will help you understand where you are and where you need to go.
Third, watch your six essentials to good living and good health. Keep in mind that you have to be at the top of your game to handle what comes with life’s big transitions. There are a lot of changes and a lot of stress, so you need to stay healthy and take care of yourself. The six essentials are:
- Get your sleep (seven to eight hours per night)
- Eat correctly
- Breathe in good air
- Drink water to ensure you’re staying hydrated
- Exercise most days of the week
- Get outdoors and in the sun
Fourth, plan for the transition with the end in mind first. Transitions usually last around two years, so ask yourself what you want your life to look like in two years. Write it down and keep it in mind to help keep you on the right path. It’s easy to get off track because everything is new and different, and you’re learning all about yourself as you go through the transition. By keeping the end in mind, you’re more likely to stay on track.
So keep these steps in mind for the inevitable transitions that come with life, and know that, by referencing them and by knowing yourself, you have the tools to make it through. Until next time, enjoy.
