The collegiate experience is often a period of excitement and apprehension – for both students and parents. In our Family Blog Series, we’ll hear about this life-changing journey from current Blue Jays, as well as impart guidance on the process from our supportive Elizabethtown College employees.
When I hear the word transitions, I immediately think of the glasses that, when met with sunny conditions, transition into sunglasses or tinted lenses. My son has a pair of glasses like this, and so does my dad. They are common and helpful, but sometimes difficult when the darkening of the lenses doesn’t transition back to the clear as quickly as needed.
Aren’t the transitions in our own lives a lot like those glasses? Many times, we prepare for transitions by doing our research, reading a lot of emails, checking out websites, asking others who have gone before us, and we feel like we’ve got this. We’ve learned all that we can and are prepared with all the details to manage the transition well. We are going into the transition with our eyes wide open, and maybe our vision (or lenses, to take the metaphor further) is clear.
When we embark on a transition, our once-clear vision becomes clouded. Something unexpected happens that perhaps we hadn’t prepared for. There is an obstacle in our way that wasn’t on the itinerary or checklist. The way we thought things would go is definitely not how they ended up. That once clear vision is now clouded and we are full of doubt, fear, worry, or uncertainty. We question if the transition is even one that we want to make. What we were so excited about just a few weeks or months ago now feels insurmountable. We seek out, petition, and even pray for the clear vision we previously had. But now we are in the midst of the transition, and we have a choice. Do we keep moving forward or do we re-evaluate our plan?
Sometimes we need to re-evaluate our plan. Determining that maybe we weren’t on the right path to begin with is okay. Pursuing our own well-being and calling is important. I would say it is one of the most important parts of who we are and how we show up for people. If you’ve faced a transition in your life and your original vision became clouded, then you’re experiencing something we have all dealt with. Changing, pivoting, and re-evaluating are a constant in life. How we work through change can build our resilience, perseverance, and character. It is difficult to re-evaluate our plans, but it does help us grow immensely. Maybe you’re facing a transition in life that you are re-evaluating; if so, I encourage you to work through the clouded vision until you’re back to a clear vision and purpose.
To keep moving forward, we must remind ourselves of our clear vision. We must remind ourselves of our why, our purpose, and our calling. Thinking back to why we chose to embark on this transition in the first place can help us recenter and recommit to this transition in our lives. I have often benefitted from stepping back from the chaos to take a few quiet moments to reflect on why I started on this path in the first place. Journaling helps me immensely when I’ve gotten lost in the obstacles and forgotten my original purpose. Regular reminders help me to stay true to my own calling and face the challenges that come with transitions. And then a beautiful thing happens – my clouded vision (the tinted lenses in my metaphor) can be seen as a wonderful filter for the sun, for the light around me, for the people I see and serve.
Why am I thinking about transitions right now? Well, you probably guessed it, the start of a new academic year always makes me think about transitions. We just had a wonderful few days of getting our new students checked in, moved in, and welcomed to Etown. There are so many emotions happening for not only our new and returning students but their families too. We are all dealing with a transition right now, and I hope that we are all working to be in a place with a clear vision of why we’re doing what we’re doing. Oh, and if you, yourself, own a pair of glasses with transition lenses…may you be reminded of the beauty of transitions every day!
About Stacey Zimmerman
Stacey Zimmerman is the Director of Leadership & New Student/Family Orientation and a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach who believes that we should focus on what is right with ourselves and each other; focusing on our strengths gives us our greatest opportunity for growth and success. She works to help individuals discover their strengths, build strong teams, and live authentic lives that honor who they are. Utilizing the CliftonStrengths® assessment as a tool for self-awareness and development, she encourages individuals to learn more about themselves, affirm their values, and live out what matters to them. The more individuals who understand the philosophy of strengths – that we should focus on what is right with each other – the more engaged and thriving individuals we’ll have in our lives. It is Stacey’s mission to spread this strengths philosophy to others. Stacey’s top five CliftonStrengths® are achiever, responsibility, discipline, relator, and belief.