This section answers the question “If only I had known then what I know now.” How often have you said or heard this expression? I use it here because it sums up the importance of being able to predict, anticipate, and understand our life transitions. The need for predictability in life may explain the popularity of so-called stage theories that assign certain characteristics to each phase of our lives, implying that you are doomed to live through these chronological phases.
But in the absence of such certainty about the timing and types of transitions we will face, we must be satisfied with knowing that we will all experience both events and non-events continually; and that by strengthening the ability to understand them and by exercising coping skills, we will be better prepared to master the transitions and not allow them to control us.
All of us have periods when everything seems fine: we work, play, love, and don’t think too much about it. But then change may intrude in our lives and make us feel “out of sync.” Suddenly we are taking a personal inventory, thinking about who we are and where were going. We may face a crisis of confidence or competence.
Many report that when they go through transitions, they become self-centered. When they realize that it is perfectly normal to soul-search at times of transition, they express relief. I have learned to expect stock-taking and soul-searching whenever change occurs.
This section provides basic information about transitions that will be your foundation for APPROACHING CHANGE. Chapter 1 describes the dynamic process included in any transition; chapter 2 describes the different types of transitions that surface. This knowledge is crucial as you move toward your goal of taking control and profiting from change.