From “Here to There”

We experience transition many times during our life's journey. From childhood to adulthood. From singleness to marriage. From one job to the next. From one house to another. Many times, we jump into the new without processing the old. This can bring unhealth into the new seasons of life. How can we get from “Here to There” healthily? How can we help our loved ones during their transitions?

For example, I recently transitioned from a job I loved to a season of being home full time. Through this transition, I learned some valuable tools that helped me release my previous role and embrace my new season. I share these tools in case they can help you when transition is at your door.

I call these tools the "four R's" - Rest, Remember, Resettle, Refresh.

Rest: In the case of changing jobs, society has steered us to start a new job the day after our last at our previous job. You know, the "I gave my two weeks notice so that I can start the day after" plan. There is value in thinking ahead and planning to give yourself a few days, a week, or maybe longer to rest and recoup. By resting, we can slow down our pace, catch up on sleep, do something fun, and ultimately decompress from our former position. Some people may need longer times of rest than others, or certain jobs may require longer rest times to decompress from.

Remember: This is one of the most important tools in a transition. Looking back, I see how moving at a fast pace wouldn't always allow my heart time to process situations and events. Our minds can process things quickly, but our hearts need more time and attention to adjust. Taking time to remember helped me to disconnect from my previous role. Two steps of remembering were pivotal for me and enabled me to enter into my new season wholeheartedly:

1. I took time to write out the memories worth celebrating, the people who impacted me, the ways I grew personally in my last role, the new opportunities I was invited into, and the beautiful relationships that were created and flourished. I took time to think through the good memories and respond with a grateful heart. From this step, I was able to see the transformation that was made in me and others that will pay dividends for years to come. Celebrating the "good" in a previous stage of life is always beneficial.

2. Next, I took time to write out the difficulties. The lingering questions. The losses. The fear of relationships that may not stay the same. Any hurt I experienced. The things my soul needed to grieve. I sat with these things and allowed my soul to process them with the Lord and receive His tender ministry. And for Him to reveal any wrong mindsets I had or any area I needed to make right. This helped me move into the next phase of resettling more fully. 

Resettle: This tool was a fun one. This is where I took time for myself. I had put off some self-care, physical needs, family values, and dreams. There were things I needed to get caught up on that I had let slide due to busyness and some fun things I had always wanted to do but didn't have the time for. This is where taking a little extra time to rest can allow us to resettle.

Refresh: This last tool is a time of filling up, receiving vision and revelation, learning, and creating. Allowing the new that has been incubating inside to step out. God's work in us is continual as we yield to Him. In good times and in challenging times, I believe He is at work. When we are led by Him to let go of a previous season, our hearts are free to fully receive the new He has for us.

I pray as you move from "Here to There" in your life, these steps may help you.

Journeying with you,

Jess