Sometimes we plan for change and still there are surprises. Other times, change happens entirely unexpectedly, without our consent. We are facing both kinds as we negotiate our way through the pandemic, with all its twists and turns, and forge forward with changes in platforms online, technologies, ways of connecting and working. How can we maintain our power and stay the course? It helps to understand how transitions impact us.
William Bridges (author of “Transitions” and “Managing Transitions”), identifies three stages of transition that he captures through the image of leaving one shore (ENDING of what was “known” and familiar, characterized by a sense of loss and regret), to finding ourselves out at sea (NEUTRAL ZONE in a kind of “no man’s land” where we feel disoriented, disconnected, anxious) to finally spotting the other shore with gradual, renewed hope (NEW BEGINNINGS). Many of us may feel like we are floundering at sea right now, lacking certainty about the future- what it will bring and when.
A few buoys to hold onto while at sea:
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Not everyone experiences the 3 stages to the same intensity or at the same speed. Be compassionate and understanding if you are less impacted by negative emotions than others.
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If you experience these emotions intensely, seek help and limit negative stimuli (catastrophizing conversations, submersion in the news…). Avoid belittling yourself for your challenges or conversely, getting stuck in blame and judgment of others – possibly blowing something out of proportion in an attempt to reduce stress.
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When we pine for the past, we are often idealizing it – forgetting the normal challenges that existed. KEEP A REALISTIC PERSPECTIVE on what was, and on the pluses and minuses of the current reality.
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We aren’t really losing everything when we find ourselves “at sea, in the neutral zone.” What mattered before can still be on board our ship. Our values – such as caring for ourselves, our students, our colleagues for example. STAY IN TOUCH WITH WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT and find ways of living your values today.
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While the new shore may not yet be in sight, we are definitely heading for it. So don’t let yourself be thrown off course by the blinding fog. We will soon find ourselves back in the workplace and although it may look somewhat different, this will be history. CONSIDER HOW YOU CAN PREPARE FOR THE NEXT STEP – in your own career, visioning and planning with your team, cross-training, connecting with the evolving needs of your clients, learning something new that will serve you in the “new land.”