What do you need for a successful transition?

"Your life is a story of transition. You are always leaving one chapter behind while moving on to the next."

Transition simply means a change from one state to another desired state. We all fear transition because any change is uncertain in terms of the experience & the outcome. It requires one to move out from a comfort zone and play full out to experience something that is different and uncommon. Sometimes we choose transition and sometimes life gifts us certain circumstances and experiences that require us to transition to a different level. I see this as an opportunity for us to grow to our next level. Some transitions are unexpected and uncomfortable when we are not ready to accept that sudden change. In today's VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world, change is certain and so we must be prepared for any kind of transition. The more prepared we are, the more easy the journey becomes & surety of an effective outcome. The moment we get stuck in rigidness and don't embrace flexibility, that's the moment we indirectly say NO to any change which might be really beneficial for our growth. I would like to categorize transition into two broad categories:

1. Involuntary transition
2. Voluntary transition

1. Involuntary transition: Any change in life which we voluntarily have not chosen but bestowed to us due to circumstantial changes or is situation based is involuntary transition. This is one of the most challenging transition because we have no prior acceptance to this but it's like a sudden jolt to us that is imposed and leaves us wondering what next to do and not to do. This phase has the probability of taking us to a victim mode if we aren't cautious. Many people break-down during this phase and becomes a victim. This requires one to go through a grieving process wherein you first just acknowledge what has happened, take charge of the emotions, let them out in creative ways; accept the reality and then chalk out the next moves to move forward. As an example, when an organization decides to downsize, many employees get affected during this involuntary transition. Although this has nothing to do with the employee personally, but due to the common human dynamics, one has the tendency to take this personally and hold grudges for putting one in an uncomfortable and undesirable situation. Hence, an employee goes through a turmoil and shows different reactions based on the personality type. Some withdraw, some run away from the reality and some become resentful and stuck. All these are natural reactions of the involuntary transition phase. More than the situation, the perception of the situation affects the overall morale and so the actions and the results. 

2. Voluntary transition: Any change that is initiated by us and majorly taken to experience ourselves in new ways in any sphere of our lives is voluntary transition. This is something that is exciting and fearful but this comes with a lot of positive emotions because an individual chooses this unlike something that is imposed upon. This transition is more like wearing the creator's hat and the other one is like being victimized. Examples of this transition may be: starting a new role, a shift from an individual role to a leadership role; starting something which one is passionate about; starting on a new journey on self-discovery and possibilities of creating what's not there and what one never thought of and many more.

No matter what form the transition might be, it requires few common things for its success:

• Any transition is possible if you believe in yourself and your talents. During challenging times, we tend to forget our gifts and become overly critical. We get hurt easily, we are vulnerable and so it becomes important to have faith in oneself and one's abilities.
• Playing on one's strengths and realizing one's potential. We are capable of doing more than what we think we can. Instead of boxing ourselves, we need to be open to new possibilities.
• A strong intention to create, a commitment to take risks and try out things that one has never tried.
• Consistent actions however tiny it may be. Confidence comes from actions and not before we take actions.
• A broad vision and the zeal to move forward when things don't work out. Go for NO.
• Willingness to change plans to reach the desired destination without compromising on the values that one upholds.
• Embracing the transition and coming from a place of acceptance rather than denial.
• Confronting fears and challenging oneself to move out of the comfort zone. Agility of the mind develops as we embrace fears and keep walking towards the chosen goal.
• A deep sense of gratitude for everything that comes in the way.
• Focusing on the journey and not the destination.
• Willingness to drop old ways of doing things and embracing new ways.
• Childlike faith and trust in the process & the Universe.

The potential of a person never fades, but we do loose the form based on what we have decided to perceive about what has happened. A positive frame of mind will enable positive actions and so will the results be positive. But a negative frame of mind will block us from having access to our creativity & our resourcefulness. And so the actions and results will match to the state of our mind. It is important that we keep challenging ourselves to do things that make us uncomfortable, make us realize that we have immense possibilities, and that the power lies not in the situation but in the way we take it. Any situation that breaks us is something that needs retrospection of ourselves because that's a direct message to us about our internal dialogue that we are having. More a person has self-awareness and a powerful intention, more he/she can lead oneself from a victim state to a creator state and that makes all the difference. A shift in the state of our mind is one of the most vital, critical, simple yet difficult thing to do. It's a choice, a habit, a practice and a mindset that needs nurturing, care and unfolding. 

Inviting you all to a joyous journey of transition from where you are to where you truly want to be.

Love & light,
​Priyanka