Baby, child, pre-teen, teen, young adult, adult, parent, retiree, old guy. Interested, beginner, novice, proficient, expert, professional, world class. Spring, summer, winter, fall. While we would all like things to stay the same, that’s just not reality. Life involves a series of transitions. Some people thrive on these transitions. Others struggle. Why is that?
In my mind opinion it’s all about attitude. If you’re continually looking backwards and “living in the past” the transitions in front of you are going to look pretty unattractive. Now I’m not suggesting that you forget about the past. To the contrary, you need to remember it and hold it in a special place in your heart. Your experiences are what define you. And you need to embrace and understand those experiences. But the past is the past. It can’t be relived. It can’t be changed. Folks that thrive are always looking forward. They see the forthcoming transition as the next big opportunity. They draw on their experiences and embrace the transition. While it doesn’t always go smoothly, their positive, forward looking outlook normally pays dividends. They recognize that transitions are simply part of life and have come to terms with the fact that you are better off embracing them than avoiding them.
If you have any doubts that you are going to face transitions in the future, I’d encourage you to picture how you’ll celebrate your 120th birthday. Hopefully that one got you off the “I don’t have to deal with transitions” cart.
So the next time you see a big challenge or change in front of you, the next time you are facing a transition, realize that life isn’t treating you badly. Rather, life’s simply being life and it’s up to you to define the terms on which you face it.
With that in mind:
What’s your next transition?
As always, thanks for the time.
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