Transitions

Mindful Moments

Danica Zomer, CSW-PIP

              Its that time of year again, where children everywhere step back into their roles as learners and we say good-bye to summer break. School is back in session this week for many of the readers in this region. Even if you aren’t school aged, you can probably still recall the feelings of returning back to classes after summer break; excitement, eagerness, worry, fear. These moments stand out in our minds because transitions are impactful for us.

Transitions are times of change in life. And because humans are creatures of habit, we tend to push back against change which can lead to these times being difficult. Change disrupts our sense of predictability and our brains are designed to seek predictability. While the level of difficulty can be different for each of us, it’s often challenging nonetheless. Returning to school is a big transition for children. Some children may make this transition look pretty easy compared to others. Some may find that adjusting to the school schedule makes them tired and cranky at the end of the day, but that’s the extent of the challenge of the transition for them. Others may struggle with the return to school a bit more and want to avoid going or show signs of more distress (crying, yelling, clinging to a parent/caregiver).

Transitions can come in all shapes and sizes. Even as adults we can experience challenge with transitions. Here’s some examples of transitions throughout the lifespan: Have you ever started a new job and felt that nervous “butterflies in your stomach” feeling on your first day? Or have you ever had a relationship end and felt down and sad for a while afterward? Have you had the experience of moving from one place to another and struggled to settle in? What about bringing a newborn home from the hospital and having to quickly adjust to lack of sleep, loud noises, and frequent feedings? Or moving to college and living out of your parents’ home for the first time in life? Have you experienced retiring from your job and had to find new ways to occupy your time that still provide you with a sense of purpose?

Adjusting to transitions is about our ability to adapt. We have the ability to approach life changes with openness and resiliency. Having someone to talk to that you can trust can be a helpful tool as you process all of the newness happening around you. Giving yourself time to adjust and knowing that things won’t stay like this for long can also have a positive impact. Lastly, offering grace to one another during times of transition is always a good reminder. This might look like choosing to listen, slowing down the pace, checking in with each other on how things are going, and validating feelings that things likely do really feel strange for that person right now.

If you’re in the midst of a transition and are struggling to see your way through, counseling provides a safe place to connect with someone about what you’re experiencing.