How to let go: Tips on transitioning from one season to the next

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

The philosopher Heraclitus is famous for his saying “panta rhei” or “everything changes.” While some of his other theories were a bit out there (such as fire being the fundamental substance of existence), he wasn’t wrong about this point. From fashion styles to the weather and the time of day, human lives are full of change. Yet, at the same time, many of us struggle with it. We struggle with moving from one town to the next, changing our occupation, or even going back to school every year. 

Because so much of life is change, it is important to develop tactics to help us transition from one period to the next. That way, whenever we experience our lives shifting, we have some tools to help ease our passage from one thing to the next. 

Acknowledging the bittersweet

Step one for a gentle transition period is to recognize that, for whatever reasons, change is hard. It can be tempting to rush headlong into whatever comes next — the new job, the new home, or the new school year — without taking a moment to appreciate what came before and mourn its loss. 

Pause on the threshold and recognize the good and the bad of the period before, surrendering it to God before looking forward, and then surrendering the future as well. Transitions are hard, and recognizing that, ironically, will help to smooth over the transition.

The opportunities in a clean slate

Now that a new stage of life is beginning, it is time to think about one of the benefits that comes with a new season: a clean slate. The future has yet to be written, and each new transition in life is a new opportunity to work on ourselves, our goals, our habits, and our virtue. 

Take time to reflect on where you are spiritually, emotionally, physically, and even fiscally. Now look at where you would like to be. Pray about it too, and then put some goals in place. Maybe just pick one to work on; it doesn’t have to be life-changing, but it should be intentional. 

It can also help to give your surroundings a clean slate: Put clean sheets on your bed, switch out your toothbrush for a new one, clean that oven! Buy yourself something new that signals a fresh start; it could be a candle, some fresh flowers, a clean journal, a new outfit, or even a trip to the thrift store for something new to you. Pick anything that helps you realize that this next season of life is something different, remembering that this season too will hold blessings as well as challenges.  

Lean on what is familiar

Though a clean slate is important, it is equally as important to cling to what is constant in life. In times of transition, it can feel as though everything you knew has been uprooted. With so much change, it can be difficult to stay grounded. That’s why continuing familiar practices in new places can be helpful.

When I was in school, my parents would always take us peach picking the last weekend before school started. My mom would make peach jam from our loot while my dad made a batch of his famous biscuits. To this day, my memories of going back to school in the fall are sweetened by peach jam on biscuits. These little constant traditions can help ease the strangeness of a new season of life. 

Call an old friend. Pull out a favorite book to re-read. Go to your favorite coffee shop. Attend Mass. While change is an important and necessary part of life, we do not live in a vacuum of uncertainty; holding onto the constants, both big and small, will help ease the transitions. The phrase, “nothing is certain but death and taxes” comes to mind, but I would argue that nothing is certain except “God and His grace,” which are both much more cheerful prospects anyway.