TRANSITIONS
How Life Changes Shape Our Stories and Strengthen Our Resilience
Transitions are inevitable, and often transformative. For individuals in Maryland and DC, navigating change with reflection and support can turn disruption into growth. This post explores personal stories of transition, from moving homes to discovering hidden truths, and invites you to consider how change is shaping your own life.
Three of my friends are amid major transitions. For varied reasons, they are picking up stakes and moving. One couple has decided that with their only son going off to college they want a fresh start and are selling their home and renting for a year to have time to figure out where they want to land. Yikes! I cannot imagine what I would do with all my junk and stuff for a temporary move. Another single friend is packing up decades of memories and moving into a retirement community. Her biggest change is sending numerous items of clothing to a consignment shop. Lucky girl has worn the same size for decades but will no longer have the need for the fancy ball gowns or smart suits.
Each of us has experienced multiple transitions in our lives, no matter how old we are. Remember your first day of school. For one guy I know that was a real shocker. The neighborhood school was walkable from his house. So, his mother walked him to school for the first day. When the teacher asked her what her son’s name was, she gave a name he had never heard! For his whole life leading up to that first-grade experience, he had gone by a family nickname and had no idea of his given name. Can you imagine that shock? Not only is mother taking me to this strange building, but she is also leaving me with a completely “false name”.
What is your “shocker” transition? There is a drama series on Peacock called “Yellowstone” about a ranching family trying to survive in the modern world. One of their strategies is to send a son into politics so that they can control decisions about the land. To run for office, he must present his birth certificate. As he waits in the records office for what seems like an exceptionally long time, the clerk finally produces his details with the shocker that he has been adopted. Imagine being a grown man and your parents never telling you that you were adopted, then finding that out from a total stranger.
Change is happening around us all the time. In fact, change within our own bodies is quite remarkable. The cells in our bodies are being replaced constantly and at a rapid speed. According to Scientific American: “About 330 billion cells are replaced daily, equivalent to about 1 percent of all our cells. In 80 to 100 days, thirty trillion will have replenished—the equivalent of a new you”.
Change is more common than we realize. Knowing that change is the norm could help all of us have a different approach. Or do we want stability because change is so common?
What is your current challenge?
If you’re navigating a transition—big or small—therapy can help you process, adapt, and grow. Explore individual therapy in Maryland and DC or learn more about therapeutic approaches that support resilience through change. For practical strategies, see 8 Ways to Cope with Life Transitions.
By Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
