Transitions

Change is inevitable, so we may as well choose the direction that we desire.
- T. Thorn Coyle, Kissing the Limitless

Life, as are ogres, is like an onion (as my friend Alison so humourously pointed out).  There are constantly more and more layers to peel back.  There is never any one moment when we have ARRIVED (which I know will be a huge disappointment to most of us).  Instead, we get there only to discover that we’ve only just reached the end of this layer and it is once again time to peel it back and start all over again.

In short, life is all about change; we are constantly being forced to transition from one layer to the next.  (Although, I must admit, I’m more inclined to take Donkey’s point of view and think of life as something more yummy like parfait.  Mmmm…  Parfait…)

Just when we think we’ve got everything worked out and are ready to settle into our well-deserved comfy seats, we find ourselves being pushed and stretched and challenged to move on yet again.

This is the story of my life (and I assume of yours too).  I just spent the last year (actually, slightly more) of my life invested in the retail world.  I designed, planted, worked, and then sold a store committed to Environmental and Personal Well-Being.  The journey inspired, stretched, informed, taught, and eventually, drained me…until it became clear that it was time for me to transition once again.

Now I am being pushed and prodded (both from internal and external sources) to use what I learned in order to build up this next phase of my life.  Just when I think I’ve “Been There, Done That” and can settle in, I get shoved back out of the nest and need to learn to fly all over again.  While part of me wants to throw a tantrum, another part of me rejoices at the opportunity to open myself to, and to grab hold of, even more of life than I’ve already experienced.

Transitions are always difficult.  The beginnings are always rocky.  First of all, you have to address any left over issues (doubts, worries, etc.) from the stage you just closed.  Then you have to find your footing, figure out what the heck you are supposed to be doing now, and start actually moving in that direction.

Things may not always go as smoothly as we would like at the beginning, but that’s ok.  All motion, even teeny, tiny, baby steps, is positive motion.  Besides, it helps me to know I’m not alone in this wobbly stage of transition; if you aren’t currently going through it with me then I know you’ve been here, or will be here soon enough and we can support each other through it.

So here’s to you, to me, and to the inevitability of change.  If we have to move to the next layer I say we choose parfait and dig right in together!

Yours,
Megan