It May Be Your Time To Change

Maybe like you, I scratch my head when I find books and read posts that describe the “precise roadmap” to transitioning from a career or job into a new stage of life. It frustrates me when the advice given suggests that we can navigate through our new chapter alone. Alone may work if this is the way life has always worked for you. But I have watched more people find success when they enlist the help of others in what can become a healthful, team sport of transition.

This pivot in life may be to a new job. Maybe it is into retirement. Sometimes that shift in life is planned for but often it comes suddenly. I have lived this “second half of life” move myself and now often see former colleagues in media and business try to navigate their own change in life. Some do it well but some try drinking or medicating their way from old achievements into the new.

What I have learned is that context often matters. Every person is wired by differently. Some are more resilient than others. Some are gifted entrepreneurs and don’t mind reinventing or starting a new thing. While others yearn for a steady paycheck and stability. This is important, on your journey don’t be afraid to lean on others including God. It is never too late to be who God wanted you to be.

While heading into or navigating through a transition in life we all need God at the table. We can rapidly lose our identities in who we “was” and begin flailing around. One day you are a TV weatherman, captain of industry, teacher or a supervisor and the next day you aren’t. You become “just another person” on the block walking your dog. And likely neighbors get to know your dog’s name before they remember your name. But remember God doesn’t make “just a” people. He creates each one of us, uniquely gifted to journey strong in this world at this precise time in history.

Strength is what we are likely going to need to transition well in any quarter of life. Transition like this may require more muscle building and work than any previous time in your life. While preparing for or entering a transition period remember that identity truly comes from God not from a career or job we’ve had in the past.

My Catholic faith teaches me that that we are adopted into God’s divine family through faith enabling baptism. The grace of Jesus helps us to grow in faith. This means that our first identity is as a child of God. This isn’t just a new title, it is a transformation of our being into a true son or daughter of the Father. For those of us who have lost our earthly dads, this allows us to call God, Abba, or Father. This should shift everything about how we view ourselves. We gain relationship and inherent self-worth. We gain freedom from fear and we can discover eternal inheritance as we acquire a missionary purpose in life. Now that sounds like a bold identity that allows us to journey strong in life.

As with any major transition in life, whether related to career, loss of a spouse or stepping into a caregiving role, it is not unusual to surround yourself with a trusted “kitchen cabinet” of people who you can lean on when needed. Just keep an open mind and open seat at that table for God.