Written by Molly Schreiber, Founder + CEO, Challenge to Change, Inc.
Me with friends and family at my daughter Maria's last dance competition
"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly." ~ Chuang Tzu
Transitions are a part of this beautiful experience we call life. Transitions are the threads that weave the tapestry of life, connecting our past to our future. They are the moments of growth, change, and transformation that shape us into who we are meant to be. Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, transitions are the moments of beauty and grace that allow us to spread our wings and soar to new heights.
Recently, in my personal and professional life, transitions are a beauty I have come to embrace. Personally, I am navigating the transition of my twins leaving for college this month and navigating our home into an “empty nest.” Professionally, we are transitioning from our physical studio location of Challenge to Change, Inc. into an office space this month. I have decided to embrace the beauty of these two transitions, for they are the stepping stones to a brighter tomorrow. They are taking me, professionally and personally, to the next phase in life.
In the back of our studio space at Challenge to Change, Inc. we have a saying on the wall. The message reads: “Just when she thought the world was over, she became a butterfly.” The saying is accompanied by a picture of a butterfly. This quote has become a mantra to me as I have navigated transitions in life. The message it sends us is so powerful but set in a way we can visualize and identify with.
When I am at a crossroad in life, I imagine a hardworking caterpillar preparing herself for the end. I visualize her entering into her cocoon without the foresight of what beauty awaits for her. I then allow myself to see her emerge from her chrysalis and soar to heights as a butterfly. This quote on transition has always been important to me because of how it teaches us that even when life seems scary and out of our control, we have to trust what is around the corner for us can be so much better and hold beauty beyond what we can conceptualize.
My goal in this blog is to not only share these five tips with you but to give you hope and faith that transitions can take you to the next place in life with ease and grace.
5 Tips to Navigate Life's Transitions
Transitions are not new experiences for me. With the help of the butterfly mantra, transitions are no longer scary for me. I find them now to give me hope of a better tomorrow. Even when transitions seem messy and hard, I rely on the butterfly to ground me into having hope and faith of a better tomorrow. Through my life experiences I have come to find that I welcome transitions knowing things will elevate and expand when they are approached with the right mindset.
Not all of my life transitions have been smooth or approached by the right mindset but through my years of experiences and acceptance of what the butterfly teaches us, I have found that even though transitions can be challenging and overwhelming, I have found if I approach it with the following five tips, they unfold smoothly.
1. Accept the change: Acknowledge that change is a natural part of life and try to embrace it rather than resist it. Accepting the change will help you move forward more easily.
The name of our business is Challenge To Change, Inc. for a reason; to help everyone in the midst of a life transition navigate it with tools and a healthy mindset. When it came time to make a decision on whether to keep the studio open or move into an office space, I knew acceptance was the first step. I knew to accept that our business had dramatically changed over the last eight years from needing a physical studio space into being an organization that is was now located over three states and Zoom calls were now more important for gathering than the yoga mats in the studio.
This decision didn’t come lightly. I agonized over giving up the “roots” of our business. Over the last two years, I weighed the pros and cons and considered how the roots of the business will still be there, just physically in a different direction. Over these two years of contemplation, I came to the decision and accepted the change and embraced it fully. Now, as we relocate this month into our new office space, I am excited for what is to come next and the new opportunities it gives us to partner with local studios and businesses to offer our kids classes.
2. Stay positive: Maintain a positive attitude and focus on the opportunities that the transition may bring. Try to see it as a chance for growth and learning.
When we opened Challenge To Change, Inc. our tagline was “Think positive and positive things will happen.” I hold strong and true to this statement when navigating through transitions. A positive mindset allows for the ability to see the bigger picture and embrace new opportunities. It allows us to know that the caterpillar does not stay in the cocoon forever, it does emerge.
Staying positive allows us to be like the butterfly and expand our wings and share the beauty we have to offer. Research has shown that positivity and optimism are generally viewed as attractive traits in others. Studies have also found that positive emotions and attitudes can be contagious, leading people to be drawn to those who exude positivity. Therefore, when we approach change with a positive attitude, others will follow a similar mindset.
3. Seek support: Reach out to friends, family, or a therapist for support during the transition. Having someone to talk to and lean on can make the process easier.
As I mentioned earlier, as my twins transition into college life and my home becomes a quieter place, I know my mama heart and head will need support from those close to me. I also know I have a team of Changemakers to remind me of the tools and resources we have within our organization to help me navigate this new landscape ahead. I have already started gathering my support. I have shared with friends what is going on in my head and my heart. I am not turning a blind eye to my emotions. I know that dropping each on off at college this year will be emotional but will lead everyone to the next place in life.
4. Take care of yourself: It's important to prioritize self-care during transitions. Make sure to get enough rest, eat well, exercise, and practice self-care activities that help you relax and recharge.
As our four move-in days approach in August: the move in day of all three children to their college dorm rooms and the move of Challenge To Change, Inc. studio, I am feeling the need for activities that make me feel calm, focused and nourished. As I feel my anxiety rise, I know to journal my thoughts. As I notice my body becoming more exhausted from all the decisions I need to make, I rest. As I become aware of intrusive, fearful thoughts, I meditate. I know these next few weeks of transitions will include many tears but trust if I continue to take care of me, I will come to the other side knowing this transition helped me to grow and become a stronger, more resilient mother supporting children who will continue to grow in a healthy, happy way.
5. Reflect and learn: Take time to reflect on the transition and what you have learned from it. Use this experience to grow and develop as a person.
I do this often through journaling my thoughts and feelings. When my children were babies, I would keep baby books with journaling for them. I wanted to document every step, every tooth lost and every landmark as they grew. This changed as they grew and my baby books became digital through Instagram and hashtagging every year of growth into a digital diary that shared the transitions from year to year within the Schreiber Family. This is also done through our blogging at C2C. It is a digital diary sharing our growth through the transitions of life and business.
Each transition life holds for us to navigate can be one of learning and growing if we take time to reflect on the journey being navigated in the present moment. Thus, why I am writing this blog to you right now, to help process this transition I am now navigating personally and professionally and to help others know tips to navigate their own transitions with confidence and ease.
Remember that change is a part of life, and with the right mindset and support, you can successfully navigate any transition that comes your way. I know August will be a month full of nostalgia of 18 years of raising happy, healthy, safe kids and eight years of packing up a physical studio space of a successful business. I know if I continue to accept these changes as a part of my life, navigate them with a positive outlook, seek support of loved ones, take care of myself and continue to reflect and learn the month of August will be one I can look back on with admiration and knowing it was a platform of growing into the next phase of life.
~Molly
P.S. I'm excited to announce that Molly's Path: Building Hope and Resilience for a Bright Future is now available for Pre-Sale! Molly's Path is based on my true story of becoming a widow at the age of 30 and founding Challenge to Change, Inc. It's written by the talented Changemaker, Kayla Reetz and illustrated by Charlotte Harwood.
Order your copy of Molly's Path!
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