Signs of Endings

Endings and losses are the commonest first sign that people are in transition. These endings tend to be signaled by one of several experiences:

• A sudden and unexpected event that destroys the old life that made you feel like yourself 
• The “drying up” of a situation or a relationship 
• An activity that has always gone well before, suddenly and unexpectedly goes badly 
• A person or an organization that you have always trusted proves it be untrustworthy 
• An inexplicable or unforeseen problem crops up 

 William Bridges
The Way of Transition

The Neutral Zone

Anyone who has ever remodeled a house knows a good deal about personal transitions because such an undertaking replicates the three-part transition process. It starts by making an ending and destroying what used to be. Then there is the time when it isn’t the old way any more, but not yet the new way, either. Some dismantling is still going on, but so is some new building. It is very confusing time, and it is a good idea to have made temporary arrangements for dealing with this interim (“neutral zone”) state of affairs- whether it is temporary housing or a time of modified activities and reduced espectations to make the old housing work. And as the contractors always warn you, remodeling always takes more time and money than new construction. Good advice in regard to transition, too.

William Bridges
Transitions