The middle, aka the transition state of change, is the process of moving from your current to desired state, and it is where actual transformation occurs. The journey of getting from point A to point B can be bumpy, with plenty of unexpected stops, detours, and obstacles along the way.
The unexpected makes the journey a unique and exciting one.
Your mindset needs to be open and willing. The ability to get up and bounce back is crucial. Setbacks will occur. How we respond to them is the learning. Past scenarios will keep on happening until we address them. These repetitive patterns remind us that we need to address the root cause of the distraction, discomfort, and self-doubt and address our inner critic. The goal is to keep your energy aligned with your intention of moving forward.
Embrace the messiness with courage.
Just like the caterpillar that morphs into a butterfly, you too need to shed the old to make room for the new. Awareness and acceptance of your limiting beliefs will help you let go of what’s holding you back. You must leave your comfort zone and take accountability to address what you need to change—just having the desire and vision for change is not enough.
Here are three ways to navigate transitions:
1. Continue to prioritize and focus.
Organize your approach, make realistic modifications as needed, and keep going. Create a change plan to outline appropriate and achievable steps you need to take to move from your current to desired state. If you feel a bit disorganized about what those priorities are, create a stop, start, continue list. You can watch video tutorials and download the corresponding Change and Stop, Start, Continue templates on my Library page.
2. Commit to staying on track.
Make your actions visible, so you see them regularly. Start small but look to do one activity daily. Work on boosting your self-reliance and confidence to handle uncertainty and overcome resistance you experience from yourself and others. To help you master change, strengthen your capabilities around these characteristic traits. It’s often the little things that deplete your energy, distracting you to resort back to what is familiar. Be accountable and dedicate time to yourself as you would anyone else. As a result, you’ll find yourself responding better to outside forces and dynamics versus reacting negatively.
3. Celebrate every step forward.
Acknowledge your efforts consistently. Recognize how far you’ve come over a short time. Treat yourself as you would a good friend with kindness and compassion for any delays. If you notice any self-doubt creeping in, acknowledge it, and then move on. I can’t express how empowering it is to catch yourself almost doing or saying something you know you no longer want to and stop it in its tracks. As you do this more and more, the old things that used to get in the way will start disappearing, and the better, brighter version of you will shine through. The feeling is worth it. So don’t give up.
Success is within your reach.
Even if it’s just for five minutes, write down and commit to what you want to change. If you catch yourself thinking of all the reasons you can’t or are contemplating why it can’t work, you’re wasting time. Catch yourself in the act and shift your mindset about the possibilities and start acting on them as if they were true.
It’s never too late to attain your aspirations.
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