Life is full of transitions.  Some are good and some are difficult.  All of them are stressful.  A transition may be graduating from high school or college.  Or it may be going through divorce.  Transitions include going back to work after begin a stay at home mom or staying at home with a new baby.  Any time you find your life changing in a major area such as marital status, job, school, family, etc, you are experiencing transition.

Transition always includes three steps.  The first is an ending.  Something in your life is ending.  There is a loss whenever something ends.  Even in good transitions and positive endings, there is still some sense of loss.  You may feel a slight grieving feeling over that loss or you might spend many weeks feeling angry or sad.

The next step is the transition itself.  This is the time of change.  The stepping into the unfamiliar territory.  Often this brings on a sense of fear, anxiety, excitement, and usually stress.  You may wonder what this change will be like.  You may feel overwhelmed with the unfamiliarity of the situation.  This stage can last a few weeks or months depending on the type of transition you are going through.  Finally there is the new beginning.  It is like seeing the rainbow through the clouds.  There it is, the new life.  Often this is the stage of relief, happiness, and finally feeling settled.  Whether that new beginning is as a single person after a divorce or as an employee in a new company, this is the point in the transition where you begin to feel settled, in control, and less overwhelmed.  Things are finally coming together and life is again getting into some type of workable routine.

If you are experiencing a transition in your life, it is important that you take care of yourself through these stages.  Talking to a professional to help process your feelings, and to support your journey can make this an easier time in life.