Embracing TransitionEmbracing Transition

““Transformation is the true Transformation is the true destination of transition. How destination of transition. How

transition does this is a mystery” transition does this is a mystery” William BridgesWilliam Bridges

Change and TransitionChange and Transition

• ““The beginning of wisdom is to call things The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names.” Chinese proverbby their right names.” Chinese proverb

• Transition is the psychological and Transition is the psychological and spiritual process people go through in spiritual process people go through in coming to terms with change. coming to terms with change.

• Change is external and concrete, e.g. Change is external and concrete, e.g. changing a job, moving house. changing a job, moving house.

• Change happens pretty fast, however, Change happens pretty fast, however, inwardly the psychological transition inwardly the psychological transition happens much more slowly. happens much more slowly.

Distinguishing Transformation Distinguishing Transformation and Changeand Change

“ “This is the great, grave distinction This is the great, grave distinction between change and transformation. between change and transformation. Change refers to adaptation, reaction, Change refers to adaptation, reaction, without necessarily involving any without necessarily involving any newness of being, a new creative newness of being, a new creative energy flowing from the center which energy flowing from the center which acts with creative power upon acts with creative power upon surrounding events.” (Flora Slosson surrounding events.” (Flora Slosson Wuellner)Wuellner)

Losses and EndingsLosses and Endings

It isn’t changes themselves that It isn’t changes themselves that people resist. It is the losses and people resist. It is the losses and endings that they experience and the endings that they experience and the transition that they are resisting. You transition that they are resisting. You have to deal directly with the losses have to deal directly with the losses and endings.and endings.

What is actually endings and who is What is actually endings and who is loosing what? loosing what?

What are you going to miss? What are you going to miss?

TransitionTransition

Most developmental psychologists Most developmental psychologists are of the opinion that transition are of the opinion that transition involves a three phase process:involves a three phase process:

- ending- ending

- neutral zone- neutral zone

- beginning again- beginning again

Beginnings Depend on Beginnings Depend on EndingsEndings “ “Before you can begin something new, Before you can begin something new,

you have to end what used to be. Before you have to end what used to be. Before you can become a different kind of you can become a different kind of person, you must let go of the old person, you must let go of the old identity. Before you can learn a new way identity. Before you can learn a new way of doing things, you have to unlearn the of doing things, you have to unlearn the old way. So beginnings depend on old way. So beginnings depend on ending.” ending.”

(William Bridges 1997, 19)(William Bridges 1997, 19)

“ “What we call the beginning is often What we call the beginning is often the end. the end.

And to make an end is to make a And to make an end is to make a beginning. beginning.

The end is where we start from.”The end is where we start from.”

(T.S. Elliot. “Little Gidding” 1942)(T.S. Elliot. “Little Gidding” 1942)

“ “Viewing ministry solely as a service one Viewing ministry solely as a service one renders sets the stage for frustration and renders sets the stage for frustration and disappointment in retirement, turning disappointment in retirement, turning what should be a time of personal growth what should be a time of personal growth and development into disillusionment and and development into disillusionment and depression.” depression.”

(Francis Blouin. (Francis Blouin. What Is My Mission in What Is My Mission in Retirement?Retirement? Review for Religious Jan.-Feb. Review for Religious Jan.-Feb. 1999, 83)1999, 83)

Transitions in ScriptureTransitions in Scripture

Three important moments of transition Three important moments of transition occur in the Gospels:occur in the Gospels:

• The moment Jesus decides to leave home The moment Jesus decides to leave home and travel to the Jordan to investigate his and travel to the Jordan to investigate his cousin’s John’s actions.cousin’s John’s actions.

• The “feast of Holy Saturday.”The “feast of Holy Saturday.”• The interim between the Ascension and The interim between the Ascension and

Pentecost. (Thomas Sweetser & Mary Pentecost. (Thomas Sweetser & Mary Benet McKinney 1998, 7).Benet McKinney 1998, 7).

“ “If you want to live, you need to give If you want to live, you need to give yourself over to the way of transition – yourself over to the way of transition – to let go when life presents you with a to let go when life presents you with a time of ending, to abandon yourself to time of ending, to abandon yourself to the neutral zone when it is where you the neutral zone when it is where you find yourself, to seize the opportunity to find yourself, to seize the opportunity to make a new beginning when the make a new beginning when the moment presents itself” (Bridges 2001, moment presents itself” (Bridges 2001, 42).42).

Six Functions Served by Six Functions Served by TransitionTransition

• Reorientation: transitions reorient us Reorientation: transitions reorient us so that we can mobilize our energies so that we can mobilize our energies to deal with the new situation.to deal with the new situation.

• Personal Growth: reorientation brings Personal Growth: reorientation brings us to a new a more authentic us to a new a more authentic relationship with the world around us.relationship with the world around us.

• Authentication: refers to the inner face Authentication: refers to the inner face of growth, a way of being that is truer of growth, a way of being that is truer to who we really areto who we really are

• Creativity: this refers to the creative Creativity: this refers to the creative opportunities that come to us in the opportunities that come to us in the chaos of the neutral zone.chaos of the neutral zone.

• Spirituality: it is in the neutral zone Spirituality: it is in the neutral zone (“desert”) that we most readily (“desert”) that we most readily encounter the Sacred.encounter the Sacred.

• Renewal: transitions renew in Renewal: transitions renew in recapturing the energy that permits recapturing the energy that permits us to be reborn anew. us to be reborn anew.

Four dimensions of LossFour dimensions of Loss

• Disengagement: separation from whatever Disengagement: separation from whatever it is you have lost.it is you have lost.

• Disidentification: the way the loss destroys Disidentification: the way the loss destroys the old identity you had.the old identity you had.

• Disenchantment: the way the loss tears you Disenchantment: the way the loss tears you out of the old reality you accepted out of the old reality you accepted unthinkingly.unthinkingly.

• Disorientation: the way you feel bewildered Disorientation: the way you feel bewildered as a result of the loss (Bridges 2001, 62-63). as a result of the loss (Bridges 2001, 62-63).

Three Phases of TransitionThree Phases of Transition

ending

neutral

zone beginning

Transitions on an Transitions on an organizational levelorganizational level

“ “The single biggest reason organizational The single biggest reason organizational changes fail is that no one thought about changes fail is that no one thought about endings or planned to manage their endings or planned to manage their impact on people . . . They forget that impact on people . . . They forget that while the first task of change while the first task of change management is to understand the management is to understand the destination and how to get there, the destination and how to get there, the first task of transition management is to first task of transition management is to convince people to leave home. ” convince people to leave home. ” (Bridges 1997, 32). (Bridges 1997, 32).

The DiagramThe Diagram

• In transition there is an ending, then In transition there is an ending, then a neutral phase and only then a new a neutral phase and only then a new beginning.beginning.

• You are in more than one phase of You are in more than one phase of transition at the same time.transition at the same time.

• The movement through transition is The movement through transition is marked by a change in the marked by a change in the dominance of one phase.dominance of one phase.

Neutral Zone.Neutral Zone.

“ “It’s not so much that we’re afraid of It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love the old ways, but it’s change or so in love the old ways, but it’s that place in between that we fear. . It’s that place in between that we fear. . It’s like being in between trapezes. It’s Linus like being in between trapezes. It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to.” Marilyn Ferguson.nothing to hold on to.” Marilyn Ferguson.

“ “One doesn’t discover new lands without One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to loose sight of the shore for a consenting to loose sight of the shore for a very long time.” Andre Gidevery long time.” Andre Gide

Neutral ZoneNeutral Zone

“ “The neutral zone is like the The neutral zone is like the wilderness through which Moses led wilderness through which Moses led his people. That took 40 years, not his people. That took 40 years, not because they were lost but because because they were lost but because the generation that had known Egypt the generation that had known Egypt had to die off before they entered had to die off before they entered the Promised Land.”the Promised Land.”

(Bridges 1995, 37)(Bridges 1995, 37)

Normalize the Neutral ZoneNormalize the Neutral Zone

• People need to recognize that it is natural to People need to recognize that it is natural to feel somewhat frightened and confused in feel somewhat frightened and confused in this no-man’s land.this no-man’s land.

• ““The neutral zone isn’t just meaningless The neutral zone isn’t just meaningless waiting and confusion – it is a time when a waiting and confusion – it is a time when a necessary reorientation and redefinition is necessary reorientation and redefinition is taking place, and people need to understand taking place, and people need to understand that. It is the winter during which the spring’s that. It is the winter during which the spring’s new growth is taking shape under the earth.” new growth is taking shape under the earth.”

(William Bridges 1997, 37)(William Bridges 1997, 37)

“ “Most of us have more freedom than Most of us have more freedom than we ever use, and the older we get we ever use, and the older we get the more inefficiently we squander it. the more inefficiently we squander it. You go around like a dog at the end You go around like a dog at the end of a chain for so long that when you of a chain for so long that when you get off the chain you hardly know get off the chain you hardly know how to run.” how to run.”

Fr Peter Crysdale.Fr Peter Crysdale.

New BeginningNew Beginning

“ “The world fears a new experience The world fears a new experience more than it fears anything. Because more than it fears anything. Because a new experience displaces so many a new experience displaces so many old experiences. . . The world doesn’t old experiences. . . The world doesn’t fear a new idea. It can pigeon-hole fear a new idea. It can pigeon-hole any idea. But it can’t pigeon-hole a any idea. But it can’t pigeon-hole a real new experience.” (D. H. real new experience.” (D. H. Lawrence)Lawrence)

Ambivalence Towards Ambivalence Towards BeginningsBeginnings Beginnings are strange things. People want them Beginnings are strange things. People want them

to happen but fear them at the same time. to happen but fear them at the same time. Beginnings feel frightening for a number of Beginnings feel frightening for a number of reasons:reasons:

- Beginnings establish once and for all that the Beginnings establish once and for all that the ending was real.ending was real.

- New beginnings may trigger old memories of New beginnings may trigger old memories of failure in the past.failure in the past.

- For some people new beginnings destroy what For some people new beginnings destroy what was a pleasant experience in the neutral zone.was a pleasant experience in the neutral zone.

(Bridges 1997, 51)(Bridges 1997, 51)

Zones of StabilityZones of Stability

Toffler (1970) suggests that we can cope Toffler (1970) suggests that we can cope with large amounts of change provided one with large amounts of change provided one area of our life is relatively stable. Stability area of our life is relatively stable. Stability zones are frequently associated with:zones are frequently associated with:

• People – family, long-standing friendsPeople – family, long-standing friends• Ideas – a religious beliefIdeas – a religious belief• Places – e.g. homePlaces – e.g. home• Things – favourite objectsThings – favourite objects• Organizations – to which one belongsOrganizations – to which one belongs

Your Stability ZonesYour Stability Zones

• What are your stability zones and how well What are your stability zones and how well do they serve you?do they serve you?

• Do you invest enough in your stability Do you invest enough in your stability zones? zones?

• Are there changes you want to make in Are there changes you want to make in your stability zones, and how you use and your stability zones, and how you use and maintain them? maintain them?

(Leonie Sugarman. (Leonie Sugarman. Life-Span DevelopmentLife-Span Development

22ndnd Ed. 2001) Ed. 2001)

Questions to PonderQuestions to Ponder

• What is it that your life is calling upon you What is it that your life is calling upon you to deal with at his moment? to deal with at his moment?

• What “chapter” of your life is now over? What “chapter” of your life is now over? What is it time for you to let go of?What is it time for you to let go of?

• How are you experiencing the in-between How are you experiencing the in-between time? How are you coping with it? time? How are you coping with it?

• How are you drawing on the Christian How are you drawing on the Christian tradition to help you interpret your tradition to help you interpret your experience? experience?

Now I Become Myself: May Now I Become Myself: May SartonSarton

““Now I become myself. It’s takenNow I become myself. It’s takenTime, many years and places;Time, many years and places;I have been dissolved and shaken,I have been dissolved and shaken,Worn other people’s faces . . . “Worn other people’s faces . . . “

As you read these lines what arises for you As you read these lines what arises for you about your own life journey, about where about your own life journey, about where you’ve been and where you are now?you’ve been and where you are now?

(Parker Palmer: (Parker Palmer: The Courage to Teach: Guide The Courage to Teach: Guide for Reflection and Renewal. for Reflection and Renewal. 2007, 72).2007, 72).