Life Transitions & Career Changes
What is a major life transition?
Although some life transitions are exciting and moments we choose, the uncertainty of change can still cause unrest, anxiety, and stress. And when big transitions happen to us or involves loss or disappointments, they can be incredibly challenging to navigate.
Each person may define a major life transition differently, a good starting point includes some of the items below:
a major accident or being diagnosed with a serious or terminal illness
becoming a parent, a child leaving home (empty nest)
relationships: divorce, separation, marriage, moving in together, death
moving homes, starting college, moving to a new country, leaving family
losing a parent, child, grandparent, friend, pet or other close relationship
age transitions: puberty, adulthood, parenthood, menopause
employment changes: new job, loss of a job, retirement, new career
Why career change is difficult?
There are many reasons that people decide to change their career, and some of these reasons may include:
to feel more fulfilled (e.g., you’ve changed some of your values, intrinsic motivation factors have shifted)
to create a better work-life balance and/or have more flexibility (e.g., your family has expanded, you want to feel less burnt out by the end of the week)
to find a more fitting or positive culture (e.g., surrounded by people who want to create change, less toxic colleagues and supervisors)
to explore new challenges that align better with changing passions or interests
to make more money, find more stability, or become your own boss
Although all of these reasons help you begin to think about making a career change, following through can be anxiety-provoking and difficult. For one, it takes a lot of courage to step out of your comfort zone, and you’ll need a strong support system and time and energy to pursue something new. All of those factors together can feel daunting, which is why many people struggle to branch out.
how can integrative therapy and mindfulness help me navigate life transitions & career changes?
The main reason that life transitions and career changes tend to feel anxiety-provoking is because of the uncertainty and fear that can surround change. Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of making a mistake, fear of the unknown and uncertainty, fear of embarrassment, etc. And fear tends to be rooted in future thinking. For centuries, thinking ahead and being overly prepared may have kept us alive. Yet in modern times, worrying about what could happen or the what ifs can cause us to feel stuck and forgo living life to the fullest.
Mindfulness can be an antidote to future overthinking. Mindfulness focuses our attention on the here and now and helps us let go of the fears that 99% of the time never come to pass. At SGS Practices, we help people struggling with transitioning through tough periods by helping them focus on the areas of their lives that they can control - and helping them learn that the what ifs of the future don’t have to hold them captive. We use a blend of integrative methods, including mindfulness, interpersonal therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), hypnotherapy and guided imagery exercises, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help individuals feels supported throughout their experience, while also learning concrete tools to use for future transitions.
If you need extra support during a major life change or event or during a career change, please get in touch by email to schedule an appointment or learn more about how we can help.