On Transitions
Happy official New Year! I hope that 2024 is off to an easeful and connected start. I have been getting the message loud and clear around the essentialness of slowing down, of bringing more mindfulness into our lives and interactions, and of continuously intending to do things differently than we have before.
Are you feeling this too?
It felt appropriate to dive into a short conversation around transitions as we are all in transition from one degree or another…The nature of our human experience involves transition after transition after transition.
Specifically, in this moment, we are transitioning years. We are transitioning from the extended holiday time which began back in November and ran through Christmas and New Year’s. We are transitioning from kids being out of school to the kids being back in the school and what that means for our individual households. Perhaps some are transitioning from taking time off of work and vacationing back into taking out the trash, doing the dishes, waking up early, and all of the other “mundane” daily needs and activities.
I’ve noticed in myself over the years that transitions are not that easy for me. It takes me time to acclimate and I used to feel like it was a problem. Why can’t I shift gears quickly and get from one reality to the next seemingly overnight?
I then gave birth to a child who did not transition well, and unfortunately, who was in transition a lot of his young life between two households. For my son, even the transition between activities or car rides or from school to home was a huge deal for him. This provided me with the platform to explore my own abilities to transition and what I needed in order to transition with honor, presence, ground, and connection so that I could help to usher him through his transitions with as much ease as possible.
They say that motherhood is one of the greatest teachers, platforms for healing, and propels one out of their comfort zone repeatedly. I agree completely. For me, it’s given me endless tools, resources, and skills to navigate the upheavals of life of any magnitude.
So, getting back to the realm of transitions…a very common theme in our human life and an important skill set to know and embody around the transitions of our lives.
I always hold the piece around connecting to the body as crucially important in navigating any transition.
How can we stay embodied and connected as we transition into this new year? As we transition out of the holidays into back into life? What do we need to do to take care of ourselves in order to be able to transition “well”? And by “well”, I mean that we are honoring where we are in ourselves, in our bodies, in our homes, in our relationships, in our work life… All of it.
I wanted to share some things that work for me (mind you I am a work in progress in this process!) and every transition is different. This is why having tools in our toolbox to access in those moments when we need them, are crucially important.
I am all about simple as, to me, when we expect complex practices to anchor us, it becomes even more difficult to do so. When we create and access simple and effective ways of anchoring ourselves in our bodies, then we are able to move forward in alignment with our true selves. It becomes second nature to explore ourselves in the simplicity of self-care practices.
From there, we can grow and expand immeasurably.
Be gentle with yourself. Honoring that transitions can be difficult and everyone needs different things. That also goes with supporting our children and transitioning them as well. Be gentle, pace the process, remember that you are human and they are human that humans need love and compassion to feel cared for. When we feel loved and cared for our systems naturally relax and we can open to new ways of moving through our lives. If we are harsh with ourselves and/or our children during transitions it can cause unnecessary tension and angst in the field and not allow for anyone to settle into this new frequency and pathway of living and being.
Rest. Tuck yourself into bed earlier than you normally would. Be-friend the power nap to reset your system. Try to carve out 20 minutes where you can power down and just be quiet. These moments of unplugging, quiet, and disconnecting from the outside world are tremendously helpful.
Movement. Move your body mindfully, with reverence and care. Stay connected to your body as you make these transitions through movement practices. It’s an excellent time to bring some gentle stretching into the mix.
Nature. Get outdoors! Even if that means just stepping outside and taking some deep breaths. Taking a calming walk in nature is extremely supportive to the whole system.
Hydrate. Being dehydrated is a chronic issue for so many of us. Especially when we are in a transition of any sort, making sure that we are drinking adequate amounts of water will absolutely keep us afloat.
Food. Taking the time to eat grounding and nourishing foods, while in a transition is tremendously supportive. Think whole foods and move away from sugar and other stimulants.
Drink broth and herbal teas. Drinking warm beverages that are soothing and calming to the system has tremendous benefit in getting us into our bodies and feeling more anchored in ourselves.
Do your practices. Even modifications and abbreviations are supportive! Do what you can... Write. Sit in meditation. Take some deep belly breaths. Do 5 minutes of yoga. Create an affirmation that is life-enhancing. Ask the Universe for guidance. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Co-regulate with another human. If you are struggling to get your system regulated, connect with another human whom might be more regulated in the moment. Allow your systems to intertwine and calm and resource and ground, together.
Give yourself a fierce and loving nudge. My pattern is to collapse when I am in transition so I have learned to give myself fiercely loving nudges to keep on moving. In this last transition that I went through I wrote in my planner, “Be fierce with yourself in moving forward”. To me, these nudges are needed in those moments when we are feeling stuck in the muck and paralyzed. With that being said, pacing ourselves is always helpful.
Wherever this email finds you, be kind and compassionate with yourself.
Be patient with the unfolding of this new year.
Bring yourself into the present moment as often as possible.
Trust the process and journey you are on and stay connected to those in your life whom you can be wholly YOU.
Reach out if you need connection and/or support!
Sending love and blessings to you all!
**If you are looking for regular (almost daily!) inspiration and support, let's connect on Instagram! I pour a lot into my output on that platform and genuinely strive to provide consistent, authentic connection for those who need it. I would love to cross circuits with you over there!