The transition of transitioning // June 6, 2023
It's June 6th, 2023 and so much has changed in my life within the past two years. I've gotten married after being single for 15 years, stepped away from my job at the church after 21 years and taken on the role of COO with Dream Releaser Coaching, my daughter left home for her final two years of college and, most recently, my brother stepped away from being my pastor after 21 years. Our church transitioned to become Christ Chapel Hampton and a very dear friend became our pastor.
Doesn't all of that sound so amazing?!?! Well, it is...if you're comfortable with transition. Big transition. This girl isn't. I'll be honest and say that I had the same living room curtains for almost 30 years. You read that right.
I regret none of the decisions. I do, however, regret not being prepared mentally and emotionally for the huge changes I was inviting into my structured life. I invited my husband along for the ride rather than stopping to adjust to what marriage really involves. I stepped fully into the role of COO at DRC without considering the emotions that may need to be at least acknowledged in regards to stepping away from my church position. I was proud for my daughter to take on this strength and independence but WOW was I unprepared for the feelings I would encounter. After all, it had been just the two of us for 15 years. And now, she was 2 hours away.
I moved at a fast pace, ignoring the feelings. If I could just stay busy and keep at it, I wouldn't have to own what I was feeling. It would be okay, eventually. I would adjust. Ladies and Gents - it doesn't work that way. We don't adjust without allowing ourselves to take a look in the face of reality and assessing what is really going on. There is a process of acceptance that has to take place; being willing to face what you're feeling, what is changing, what is missing. Until this takes place, you don't truly see what you're gaining!
Last Fall I hit a wall. The path I was taking and the speed I was racing finally wore me down and I had to face what I had been skirting around for months. It was time to face it and process it. It was time to transition into my transitions.
Has it been easy? Not at all. Sometimes I hit a great place through revelations and want to stop the process of processing. But then I see the next thing on my list that I need to own head on and I know it's time to take the next step forward. So, I dig in, look up, hold God's hand and keep it going. Healing, growing, accepting, adjusting.
Transitions aren't easy. Avoiding transitions, though, is practically a death warrant.
Don't allow your fear or discomfort at "different" cause you to avoid new steps, dreams, goals in your life. Take the time to assess all that's involved with that transition, accept what you'll need to accept as you settle into it, and what will need to be adjusted. Then step forward; a new path awaits you.
-Coach Robin
