Robert Mitchell - Transition: Lifes Unavoidable Reality: A Guide to Successfully Navigating Change

Transitions are a constant in life. Everyone experiences them, individually and collectively, in areas such as: education, marriage, parenthood, divorce, relocations, jobs, retirement and disease. This reality has the potential to cause us either an unbearable amount of stress or incalculable benefits. There is no way to go through life without facing a barrage of transitional events.

Every transition has the potential to stop you from living out your dreams, causing you to arrive at the end of your life with tremendous regrets. Our natural tendency is to accept things as they are, with the belief that theres no way to relieve the anxiety associated with those transitions.

Whats the number one dilemma associated with transition? Its that we dont inherently possess a default Global Positioning System (GPS) to successfully navigate through change. We need directions to know how to get through the emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual changes.

In the midst of transitions, everyone wants to know, How do I successfully get from here, where its no longer comfortable, to there, a better place? Where can I get help to walk through this inescapable experience in my life? Imagine facing tomorrow free from the stress associated with inescapable transitions. Imagine getting practical knowledge on how to effectively approach this challenge.

This book is my perspective on a few specific areas of transition. My goal is to offer hope to those who are enduring the pressure brought on by transition, who know someone who is feeling overwhelmed, or who want to be equipped for whats coming next in their life.

My experiences have helped me learn some of the telltale signs when a transition is approaching. Being able to recognize these indicators is vital. Ill reveal some clues in the following chapters. Then, once youre familiar with whats coming, youll need to know the key steps to employ in order to pass through each transitional season better. Far too often, these life passages leave us confused, so I hope youll find the steps I provide to be helpful for you.

On a midmorning flight from Denver to Houston, ironically, while working on this introduction, I saw an in-flight magazine ad with the headline: Every Flight Has a Navigator. So Should Every Cancer Patient.

That statement resonated with me for two reasons: my passion for writing a book about transition to help people navigate intense moments in their lives, and the reference to cancer, because of the two times my mother battled this disease.

The advertisement went on to say:

Sarah Cannon. Fighting Cancer Together. A global leader in cancer research and treatment. Sarah Cannon brings together innovative medical minds and unparalleled resources to advance therapies and deliver personalized care. Through our cancer programs located across the United States and United Kingdom, we connect each patient with a nurse navigator, specialized in cancer care, to provide one-on-one guidance and support through every aspect of their journey. We understand the power of fighting cancer together. No one should go through it alone. Visit FightingCancerTogether.com to learn more.

This says everything you need to know right now about transition. As your navigator, I promise you are not alone and your life does have meaning.

Although no one person has the answer for every situation, I have personal experience with transition, as you will see in the stories to come, and my entire life has been marked by one transition after another. Im certain the examples I share are not unique to me and I hope what I learned while traveling though those times will be insightful for you.

My goal is to share what I know about transition and to walk alongside you, the reader, to give you immediate assistance. You are not alone on this journey. As you will see in the following chapters, Ive been there, done that, and got the T-shirt a few times!

Theres no point in living ill-equipped for transition and on the verge of catastrophe. If youre tired of being stuck, confused, frustrated, and scared about making it, then let this book be the motivation you need to jump right into the middle of what youre facing with a workable plan for success, so youll be positioned correctly when the next season of change comes. Then you can be at a place where you no longer dread the next move.

You can do it! Youve got this! Youll be ready!

Keynote speaker, success coach and best-selling author Mitch Matthews said, If youre working with me then youre already inspired, the thing weve got to do is transition to action.

At the end of each chapter, Ive presented one or more action steps you can take, to help you apply the principles youve learned and to help you transition to action. They are presented in summary form here in the book, but if you want the detailed version of the action steps, you can download my FREE PDF: 41 Action Steps to Prepare for and Get Through Transition. This report is absolutely free and is my way of saying thank you for reading this book. You can download it here .

I join with Mitch in saying, Work with me, and, by all means, take action right now. Read this book; it will pay high dividends in the days to come.

I sincerely believe that your life will be enhanced and your despair minimalized when you read and apply the principles in these chapters. Life is about navigating transitions with confidence, balance, and resolve. To succeed at this, you need support, strength, and knowledge.