We have all experienced a life-changing transition at some point in our lives, whether it be the loss of a loved one, an unexpected career switch, or something else. While change is often seen as scary and intimidating, writer, Bruce Feiler, believes that it is possible to master transition. This week the Personal Kaizen team shares a TedTalk by Feiler, where he shares five ways to master life’s biggest and toughest transitions.
The Life Story Project
Bruce traveled all over the United States and interviewed hundreds of people in all 50 states who were willing to share their life stories and greatest struggles. With over 1,000 hours of interviews, Feiler worked with a team of 12 others to code these stories for 57 different variables and look for patterns that could help all of us in times of change. Thus, “The Life Story Project.” was born.
Here are Feiler’s five tips for mastering life’s biggest transitions.
- Begin with your transition superpower. Life transitions have three phases: the long goodbye; the messy middle; and the new beginning. Begin with your superpower, the phase you excel at the most, build confidence and move on from there.
- Accept your emotions. Life transitions are an emotional experience and we have to accept that in order to move forward.
- Try something new. During the transition phases, we shed things like our mindset, routines, and habits. This allows room for new things that spark creativity and joy!
- Seek wisdom from others. Transitions often make us feel isolated and alone but we don’t have to be. Share your experience with others, and you may be surprised who can offer you comforting words of wisdom.
- Rewrite your life story. You control your story, even the most painful parts. We must re-imagine life transitions so that we see them for what they are: healing times that begin to repair the wounded parts of ourselves and our lives.
We hope that this TedTalk comforts you during times of trouble and encourages you to master life’s biggest transitions. Please comment below with your favorite tip from the TedTalk and let us know if you’ll be implementing it into your everyday life!
