Phases of Transition

Surrounded by change and transitions

In our lives, we are surrounded by change, transitions. The dawn of a new day and the dusk at its end. The first buds of spring and the first frost of winter. Each of these signals tells us that a change is coming – a day is finishing and a new one will come. Winter is gone and summer is round the corner. We know that a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, but the process of change it goes through it nothing short of miraculous (look it up one day, you will be amazed).

We, too, are subject to changes and transitions in our lives, rapidly in our infancy and early years, and then often more gradual as we mature. However, what happens in that crucial “middle bit” is often misunderstood.

Snow-covered branches with blossoms against a clear sky

Think of changes you are going through, maybe at work or in your home life.

What is coming to an end? What chapter can you sense is drawing to a close? What is not fulfilling or fun any more? What is being discontinued? What has been closed down?

Where we can see endings, we may be entering the red zone on the graph below. Endings often make us shocked, angry, fearful, sad, or cause a sense of denial. We can’t quite believe that it’s happening.

These feelings are NORMAL, and however intense, they don’t last forever.

Over time, we stat to enter what is known as the neutral zone (orange on the picture below). Here we may notice that we feel confused, disoriented, frustrated, sceptical or apathetic. These feelings are uncomfortable, and we may feel that we are constantly taking one step forward and two steps backward. It’s confusing and uncomfortable – we are in the liminal (threshold) zone. It’s normal that our productivity takes a dip during this phase – and often we can feel this ourselves, even if others don’t perceive it. It’s the growth pains of transition, being felt.

Close-up of blooming cherry blossoms on a branch with blurred background.

However, in time, as we start to normalise and recognise that we have moved away from the thing of the past, and towards a new start, we may notice our feelings daring to become more exciting, energising and committed. Our productivity increases, even to higher levels than before our loss and we are on a new trajectory….. to the next transition!