(Moving this year-old post from my Business page to Transitions Blog)

 

I have not written a blog post in a long time!

This blog post will explain why, and I’ll also be inviting you to join me in OWNING your transition, if you are in or approaching one.

So, my husband and I were talking over dinner a few weeks ago, and in a moment of clarity, I looked back and condensed my past 3 years to this:

• I transitioned from traditional missions work to focusing on helping others clarify their calling and navigating turbulence in their career or workplace.
• I became a mom for the first time.
• My husband started a new job outside of our missions organization and outside of the country where we lived.
• After about two years of living apart and an unpredictable immigration process, my son and I packed up home and moved to the United States to join him.
• We sold everything from our previous season and to created a new “home” in California, after living for 6 years in South Africa.
• So much life change! I feel like I’m a different person, but at the same time, i’m also still me (I’ll write about this in a separate post soon).

Transitions can have a way of altering one’s normal, but at the same time, heck! What is “normal?”

Normal, if we are honest,  means navigating life transitions. Abnormal is staying stuck and resisting change.

Embracing transitions is about:

change – growth – letting go – taking hold of – surrendering – giving up – taking up – returning – departing – embracing – refraining – altering – building – tearing down – constructing – GROWING.

This is what life is about.

Just like I mentioned, so much has happened to me and to us as a family in the past 3 years.

We are changed. Yet, we are the same.

Our familiar has been radically redefined, yet we are the same, in some sense.

Sometimes, when I show my son videos from birth (2015) till date, I simply marvel at the degree of changes, simply from looking at our family memories.

We have been stretching.

We are growing.

We are laughing.

We are making mistakes.

We have frustrations.

We are creating beautiful memories.

We are living one day at a time.

We are seeing and experiencing so much grace, growth and goodness from God’s guidance. We are also committed to making our life experiences meaningful, every step of the way.

Over and above fervent prayers, prophetic discernment and scriptures coming alive in a timely way, here are a few tips that have been very helpful to me personally:

•  Being present from moment to moment, doing just what is in front of me. It can be overwhelming to try and figure everything out all at once.

•  Being grateful. Gratitude for divine guidance, divine timing and recognizing divine blessing that has glazed the path for me.

•  Being intentional. I minimize time wasters, and spending unnecessary energy on people, places or things that distract or drain. Managing one’s energy and focus during times of transitions is crucial. So many people have opinions about one’s life, learning to drown them out is key.

• Perspective. I challenge myself to put my frustrations and challenges in perspective. I remind myself that it is a phase, a season and a chapter. Nothing is permanent – both good and bad, and God uses everything for my good.

There are no quick fixes when it comes to MAJOR LIFE CHANGES. Major life transitions require time and patience.  And It’s OK to feel the frustration, it’s all part of the process.

The most important thing is to KEEP PERSPECTIVE. Keep your WHY clear at all times, especially when things are wobbly!

Here’s the second part to this blog:

Lately, I have been thinking of some you, and realized how little capacity I have had to check in you, or to catch up on your updates. Life has just been one busy blurb.

Most of you know that I have been carrying the message of transitions in my heart, and I’m learning to walk the talk myself. Like I always say, “the messenger must first live the message”. It’s my joy and desire in this season to engage and support those who are in transition.

Many of you are either sensing major shifts, or are right, smack in the middle of a transition. Some of you have had unexpected life changes, and I cannot even dare say i understand what your journey has been, as each transition is uniquely different.

It is very easy to feel alone or overwhelmed by your challenges, when your world is wobbly but the rest of the world carries on with business as usual. It doesn’t have to be that way. Being a strategic person, and in the true spirit of MAXIMIZE, I have started a private Facebook group to connect more and to share life updates with those in transition. Whether you are changing jobs, cities, countries or status, it matters to find support. It could also be a life-threatening situation, diagnosis, loss, change of plans, life brings it all. We all cultivate character and become stronger when we navigate these challenges well. It’s even more beneficial when we share our gleaned wisdom with others.

A lot of us spend our time online, so why not rather make that time more strategic, relational and purposeful? Social media is becoming increasingly noisy, divisive, and tribal, but we can use this amazing platform for a good life purpose.

I am committing myself and my time to this small group. In this place, we can share and i am willing to intentionally support, share and coach through reflections and resources.

To ensure that the group is a safe place, I will personally screen requests to join. There will be some supportive guidelines inside the group that will help each participant feel at home.

If you feel this tribe is for you, then join me in the support group here – Transition Tribe.

You are also welcome to recommend this group to your friends and loved ones who may need encouragement, prayer and supportive resources to navigate their own life changes.

Alright!

See you in the private group! Join here.