In less than a month I’ll be making a major professional transition. I’m in the last few weeks of a five-year plan I called “Free by 43.” My 43rd birthday is on November 1st and on that day I will be transitioning from the Youth Development work I’ve done consistently since I was an adolescent myself. As this pivotal date nears, I am reminded about how I’ve supported clients who’ve come to me seeking help with navigating change. It is beginning to feel like someone pressed a fast forward button on my time, so this morning I pressed pause to make sure I remember and practice some of the following key lessons I’ve used to guide those who are looking to make traction during transition. Reinforce Your Boundaries. Thanks to the teachings of Alandra Chuney Jackson and Nedra Tawwab, I’ve designed a practically frustration-free life by setting and honoring some important boundaries. When you are great at what you do, a concept called Performance Punishment sets in. This is where you do so much so well, that you are asked to do more and more. If, like me, you love to help, you may find yourself saying 'yes' to more than you can humanly handle and ultimately facing burnout. This also happens during transitions. When you release what you are transitioning from, that frees up more of your time, so more requests and opportunities may come rushing in to fill that empty space. Boundaries help you to filter what can stay and what must go. The last time I felt this rush of responsibilities, I decided to make Saturday a non-negotiable self-care day. Sunday followed soon after. Then I began to designate days during the week to focus on things that were important to me. This meant Mondays were reserved for writing, Wednesdays for leading my group coaching community, and Friday afternoons for fun. As I plan for this shift to fully focusing on my executive coaching and retreat facilitation work, I may need to reinforce or rethink some of these boundaries to fit my new reality. What boundaries do you need to set or reinforce? Prepare for Positive Stress. Several of my clients look forward to manifesting major life changes such as marriage, motherhood, or moving into full time entrepreneurship. In these instances, I always ask, “What is your self-care plan for the positive stress?” Stress is generally associated with negative experiences, but marriage, motherhood, entrepreneurship, or moving into a new home are hard. Those who inspired us made it look easy. When you do the work, what you are working for will arrive, but how will you make sure you are ready for the transition? Ask the questions of those who came before you and encourage them to share the hard truths. For instance, I must always remember to remind those who are transitioning from the work world to full time entrepreneurship that the comfort of a steady paycheck looks different when you are getting started. Business owners must prepare and plan for bouts of feast and famine. How will you prepare for the positive stress that is associated with achieving your goals? Precious Pressure. As I sat around the firepit with my retreat participants this weekend, one of the coaches from our group coaching community talked about the process by which precious gems are created. It often requires pressure. There will be times during transition where you will feel pressed or squeezed in various ways, but trust that this is a part of the process that will turn you into a precious jewel. How will you remind yourself of the precious outcome when you are feeling the heat of pressure? This week I challenge you to take some time to reflect, prepare, and plan for the transitions that come with accomplishing your goals. While the reward will be great, the work will inflict equally great weight. Work your plan and trust the process to make Transition Traction. Manifestation Affirmations I am made precious by pressure. I am reinforcing my boundaries. I am practicing more self-care during times of transition.
Master Your Mindset to Manifest a Life You Love. Most Sincerely, Monica Marie Jones Your Soul Journey Guide