By now most of us have heard the expression, “when one door closes, another one opens”…
But no one mentions the journey.
Sometimes a door is closed on us and other times we shut the thing ourselves. Other times we can see the new door looming ahead yet other times it is nowhere in sight… and we are not even sure it will be there when the fog clears.
Regardless of whether our transition is chosen or imposed, or viewed positively or negatively, we must walk through the ZONE OF TRANSITION to get to the other side.
In this space there are three dominant emotions that seem to walk alongside us:
Confusion
Loss
Anxiety
The degree to which we feel them depends wholly on our state of mind and how we manage ourselves during this time.
Think about it: Even if you choose to ask someone to marry you, you will walk through this space. You know what day the new door will open (your wedding day) yet you may feel all three of these emotions, and sometimes all at once. Consider this example:
HIM: “will I still get to hang out with my friends?” HER: “Can I still buy shoes whenever I want?”
HIM: “can I leave my sock art on the sofa without getting hassled?” HER: “Am I going to have to cook for him every night?”
BOTH: “Do I really love them enough to spend the rest of our lives together?”
So no matter what the transition is you are going through, remember you WILL walk through this zone at some stage and the best way to face it is head on. But how you ask?
Stay in the present and adopt strategies that allow you to acknowledge and accept that this is part of the journey but keep your eyes on the other door – even if it isn’t yet in full view!
You\’ve got this thing!