Every one of us goes through transitions in life.

Some are very obvious and receive at times passionate participation from others: just think of the individualisation process that two or three year old toddlers go through and their delight in saying ‘no’.

Puberty is another fundamental transition more often than not accompanied by considerable friction within the family.

A third and much less considered transition is that in mid-life. This period also involves complex and intricate brain and body changes. At the same time careers and relationships are looked at from new and sometimes troubling perspectives.

Many of us experience restlessness, an ‘is-this-all?’ feeling and want to experiment with new ideas while others often want to withdraw from or change their work situation.

Career transitions usually involve a re-think of what you are currently doing. You want to find a new and more satisfying focus in your work. Some step out of their career path completely or temporarily in order to find a new direction where all the accumulated expertise and skills can be applied in a (maybe) completely different way. In this transition process you do not start from scratch; what you are actually doing is to redirect your energy and passion into something that you enjoy even more. As a result work no longer feels like work.

Whatever transition you go through it is helpful to try to look at your current situation from a disassociated viewpoint from time to time. Imagine yourself in a helicopter looking down on you – what do you ‘see’ or notice?

If you do not like an aspect in your life, be specific: ‘What exactly do I dislike?’ ‘Do I have any control over it?’ ‘What can I do today to make (even a small) change?’

And ask yourself the most crucial question of all: ‘What do I really want?’ and make a list from the top of your head without ‘filtering’ it through the ‘common-sense sieve’.

Look back on your life and recall times and situations where you felt great, where everything just flowed effortlessly. What did you do? Can that be repeated or applied today?

Transitions are times when you grow. They are a time of change. Change always brings a degree of uncertainty because you are ready to leave your (maybe no longer so cozy) comfort zone.

Looking at yourself and finding the direction that you are happy with is not egoistic; it is a generous gift to those around you because a happy and satisfied individual can give so much more to those around them.

Published in newsletter Women Business Owners Club (Hong Kong)      2008

Gudrun Kittel-Thong