How to Navigate the Transition Between Jobs / Life Phases?🌿✨

Melody Chen
Sep 12
5 min read

I have supported several of my coachees in navigating their transitions—whether moving into a new job, a new life stage, or sometimes both at once.

This blog is dedicated to those in transition. If you’re feeling unmotivated, confused, uncomfortable, or more emotional than expected, you are not alone. The journey can feel messy—but with awareness and intentional steps, you can move through it with greater ease and confidence.

🌟 Change vs. Transition: Why the Difference Matters

Notice I use the word transition, not change. They are not the same thing.

I learnt this distinction from Dr. William Bridges (1933–2013), a well-known organizational consultant, teacher, and author. He wrote the classic book “Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes” (first published in 1980, and still widely read today). His work has influenced leaders, HR professionals, and coaches worldwide.

Bridges’ insight was simple yet profound:

Change 👉 external. It’s the situational event—the new job title, the move to another city, the restructured team. Change can happen overnight.
Transition 👉 internal. It’s the psychological and emotional process of adapting to the change. It’s slower, more complex, and deeply personal.

This is why you can start a new job (the change) but still feel unsettled months later (the transition). (Source: Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes by William Bridges, 1980; updated edition 2004).

🔑 The 3 Stages of Transition (Bridges’ Model)

Even if you’ve already maded a change (external), you still need to experience these stages of transition fully (internal). And sometimes, these stages overlap or come in waves—creating that whirlwind of emotions you may be feeling depending on the situation.

1. Ending, Losing, Letting Go 🏁

According to Bridge, the transition starts with the end. This stage is about acknowledging what you are leaving behind. It may include saying goodbye to colleagues, habits, routines, or even a professional identity. For many, it feels like grief.

Both positive and negative experiences need to be honored—celebrate the good experiences, and let go of the bad experiences.

2. The Neutral Zone 🌌

This is the “in-between.” The old has ended, but the new hasn’t quite formed yet. It can feel confusing, uncomfortable, and slow. But this is also a fertile time for creativity, reflection, and growth. Think of it as a bridge—yes, it’s awkward to stand on, but it connects you to what’s next.

3. The New Beginning 🌅

This stage is when you start to feel comfortable with the yourself, energized, and aligned with your new job or life phase. Here, you begin to internalize your new identity and see the opportunities ahead.

⚡ Why Proper Endings Are So Important

If you find yourself saying:

“I’m already in my new job, but I keep comparing it with my old one.”
“I’m still working the way I did in my last role. I interact the same way with my new boss, even though I know he has a different style.”
“I decided to move on, so why don’t I feel at ease yet?”

👉 It may mean you haven’t fully completed the ending stage. Without a proper ending, you risk carrying unresolved baggage into the next chapter.

Take time to close the chapter properly. This doesn’t mean forgetting the past—it means making peace with it. Acknowledge what you learned, appreciate what supported you, and consciously let go of what holds you back.

Reflection prompts for “Endings”

What am I truly letting go of in this transition (e.g., people, routines, identity)?
Which past experiences and skills do I want to celebrate and carry forward?
What do I need to release because it no longer serves me?

💬 Face Your Emotions (Don’t Bury Them)

Transition is an emotional journey. If you ignore or suppress your feelings, they don’t go away—they just resurface later.

In coaching, we often ask coachees to label their emotions and explore what values those emotions are pointing to. It is very important not to brush them aside.

One meditation exercise: close your eyes and visualize the emotions as people. Label them, invite them to sit in front of you, then thank them and ask them to leave—watching them go. (A bit like the movie Inside Out.)

Other practices to help:

Journal 📝 — Write down your feelings, especially when they feel tangled. You can even tear up the journal afterwards and throw it away as a symbolic act of letting go. I learned this from a coach friend of mine.
Talk it out 🗣️ — Share openly with a trusted friend, coach, or mentor.
Self-compassion 💛 — Remind yourself this process is normal, not a personal failure.

🎈 Be a Curious, Playful Child Again

When you are in the neutral zone, it can feel like limbo, but it’s where real growth happens. Instead of rushing through, lean into the space. Be patient and exercise self-care and acceptance.

Give yourself permission to pause, experiment, and not know all the answers yet.

Be like children again: when children encounter something new, they don’t expect mastery right away. They explore, stumble, and try again—with curiosity and without judgment.

Playfulness lowers pressure and creates momentum. Adopting this mindset in your transition can make a huge difference:

Approach challenges as experiments, not tests.
Celebrate small wins 🎉—they’re proof of progress.
Explore something you’ve always wanted to learn but never had the chance to.

Reflection prompts:

What’s uncomfortable about being in this “in-between” space?
What new routines, habits, or ideas do I want to experiment with here?
How can I reframe uncertainty as possibility?
What strengths or skills do I want to grow? Can I take the opportunity to get them?
What values do I want to carry forward into this and the next phase?

🌟 Focus on the Opportunities in Your New Phase

Transition isn’t just about what you’re leaving—it’s about what you’re stepping into. This is the stage where your growth becomes visible.

Instead of focusing only on what you’ve lost, ask: What possibilities are opening up for me now?

Here’s what opportunity might look like:

A chance to reinvent your professional or personal identity—Who do you want to be in this next chapter?
A chance to upgrade your habits—What old patterns can you shed to work and live with more alignment?
A chance to expand your network—New environments mean new relationships, mentors, and collaborators.

Reflection prompts:

Who am I becoming in this new phase of my career/life?
What strengths do I want to lean into more fully here?
What opportunities excite me the most about this new chapter?

💡 Final Thoughts

Transitions are not linear. They are loops, waves, and spirals. You might revisit “endings” while in the neutral zone, or feel moments of “new beginning” before you’re ready. That’s okay.

The key is to:

End well by making peace with the past. Face your emotions instead of hiding from them.
Rediscover curiosity as you step into the new and experiment with new ideas. Take it as an experiment and growth.
Focus on opportunities—what’s possible now that wasn’t before?

Change is external, but transition is internal. And that inner journey is where transformation truly happens. 🌟

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👋 Let’s Connect If you’re navigating a career transition and want tailored support, I’d love to help at any stage you are currently in. Together, we can explore your options, build your confidence, and make sure you show up with purpose in your next chapter.

📩 Message me on LinkedIn or email me at melody@poppartners.org