Intentional Choices During Life Transitions: When Everything Is Changing

The phrase 'choices have consequences' has echoed through my mind during major life transitions, but it became amplified the day I entered motherhood. Before that initiation, I often reflected on how my decisions shaped my journey, or how others' choices influenced my path. But with motherhood, perhaps life's most transformative transition, this awareness intensified, magnified by the enormous responsibility of nurturing new life and the deep desire to navigate this in-between space with intention.

There are moments when standing between who I was and who I'm becoming feels overwhelming, knocking the wind right out of me, leading me to strive for perfection, a pursuit that inevitably leads to a dead end, especially during times of change.

Through navigating various life transitions, I've come to understand that my decisions may not always make sense to others or even to myself in the moment and that's perfectly okay. Recognizing that I have the power to direct my journey through conscious choices is both empowering and, during major life shifts, sometimes overwhelming. The weight of self-responsibility becomes more pronounced when you're in transition. Every choice feels significant, and I strive to make them intentionally, guided by an evolving vision that pulls me forward into my next chapter.

But when I talk about choices having consequences during transitions, I'm not just referring to the outward, obvious decisions we make.

I'm also talking about the internal choices, how we choose to speak to ourselves during uncertainty, what emotions we allow ourselves to feel when everything is changing, and the beliefs we choose to hold onto or release as we transform. For instance, choosing self-compassion rather than criticism can shift our entire experience of transition. Deciding to embrace our emotions about change instead of suppressing them can open pathways to integration. Even the choice to let go of limiting beliefs about who we were in favor of who we're becoming can deeply affect our overall wellbeing and direction.

While some consequences of our choices reveal themselves immediately, many take months, years, or even decades to fully unfold, particularly during life's transitional spaces.

This is why choosing what's right in the moment, rather than what's easy, feels especially important during times of change. By using our intuition to feel into decisions instead of allowing old patterns to dictate our actions, we set ourselves on a path that aligns with our emerging self and supports long-term growth. Trusting this process, even when the results aren't immediately visible, becomes crucial to navigating transitions in a way that feels authentic and intentional.

Are You Actively Choosing Your Transition, or Is Change Choosing For You?

When fear, unconscious beliefs, and familiar patterns are in control during transitions, it's easy to feel like a victim of circumstances. But when I trust my intuition to guide me in making decisions that feel aligned, even amid uncertainty, the outcomes have ultimately served my growth. That doesn't mean the transition path is comfortable, far from it. Consciously choosing what feels right often brings discomfort, challenging conversations, and significant letting go. This is precisely where self-trust becomes essential during in-between times. When I listen to my inner wisdom and take the next best step, things begin to shift naturally, creating greater alignment, and as a consequence, my vision and trust in my ability to navigate change expand.

Choosing Between the "Easy" Path and the "Right" Path During Transitions

I've noticed that when I choose the "easy" path instead of the "right" one during times of change, my body signals the misalignment. It doesn't sit well. This isn't to say I always choose what's right when navigating transitions, but I'm aware when I'm opting for the easier route. And with that awareness, I check in with myself:

What Led Me to Choose Easy? Why Didn't I Choose Right During This Transition?

You might wonder, what do I mean by "easy" vs. "right"? This practice, which I developed out of necessity during the collective transition of COVID, has become a key part of my daily rituals for navigating change. When I say "right," I mean what honors my authentic self during transition, aligning with who I'm becoming rather than who I was. Does this choice reflect my evolving values? Am I facing what I need to grow and move through this in-between space toward my heart's desires? Or am I leaning into "easy", falling back on familiar patterns that keep me stuck in my old story, reinforcing what I'm trying to move beyond?

The beautiful thing is, the more I choose what's right during transitions, the more natural it becomes. It's like a filtration system for navigating change, guiding me toward a life that feels meaningful and purposeful even when everything is shifting. This practice is part of what I share through my Simple Shifts: Rituals For Change Daily Card Deck, particularly the "Right vs Easy" card, which has been a powerful tool during my own navigating in-between moments.

If you're navigating a significant life transition and interested in exploring this practice further, you can find more about it and my daily card deck here.

Choosing mindfully and listening to our intuition during times of change helps us create a life that bridges who we were with who we're becoming, allowing us to navigate transitions with greater wisdom and grace.