I travel abroad on a regular basis, and invariably, the sensation during the first few days is the same: I feel a shock, a bit of confusion, a mild sense of insecurity, and a continuous mind-chatter that question everything. It’s an uncomfortable condition that, given a few days, dissipates, and then things get back to normal.
People who become in transition report very similar sensations till the brain accepts the new circumstance. For some it takes longer, while others recover rather quickly. Some become hugely energized by their new condition, while others remain in confusion for a while, exhibiting lethargy that at times borders on symptoms of depression. If a person had a tendency toward depression, the in-transition situation certainly could invoke such an illness.
The key to adapting quickly to the new reality and actually benefiting from the opportunity is simple. It’s a two-step approach: have a plan and don’t let emotions to derail you. Sounds easy, right? Yet very few can follow it. First, the plan has to be a dynamic one—namely, to keep learning what works for others in transition by networking with them and making sensible changes to the plan as appropriate. This doesn’t mean revamping it, or making changes 180 degrees from the original one, or restarting it over and over again. And second, don’t let emotions interfere, causing disruptive turmoil in your mind and upsetting you.
I’m a career coach and am in touch with people in transition every single day. Being in transition is a true opportunity to make significant life changes. Many people do and come out of it amazingly successful. I’ve seen people who are bordering on desperation. Given, unfortunately, a period of turmoil, they were able to transform into a new identity and a new profession and to excel. In my own case, I too went through a radical professional change, and there is no one happier with it than I am. Yes, it is possible. I am a living testimony to that.
