New Beginnings

For many of us, the approach of autumn marks a new beginning of one kind or another. For those of us who are parents, it may be a new school or new schedule. But it may also mark the decision to take the next leap at work, start a new hobby or skill, or make another significant change to your life.

For us, my daughter just started a new schedule where she is now in preschool five days a week for a few hours a day. I must admit, it took me the best part of the summer to adjust to the idea, though she’d been at the same school for six hours a week most of this year and had loved it. I was eager to have more time for myself and my business, but I wondered if more time at school and away from me was the right thing for my daughter, and I already was grieving no longer having our mornings together. My feelings are not unique -- in talking to other parents and clients about what a “new beginning” means, the responses are amazingly consistent.

No matter what the new beginning is (a new school year, a career change, a move, etc.), there are three major feelings that come up:


1. Excitement - the anticipation of a new beginning is one of the most thrilling feelings. We allow ourselves to soak in the possibilities, the new things we will learn, the opportunities that will unfold.
2. Anxiety - as exciting as the new venture may be, we naturally fear the unknown. Our fear and anxiety tells us that we acknowledge we are not fully in control during a major transition. What if everything does not go to plan? What if we made a mistake? What if we don’t like it?
3. Loss - Even when we are eagerly anticipating the change and everything goes reasonably smoothly, change often brings with it a sense of loss - friends left behind, a comfortable routine disrupted, the comfort of familiar places, and much more.


To minimize your concerns and spend more energy reveling in the positive aspects of a new beginning:

• Talk through the expected changes with family, friends and others to make sure everyone is on the same page and knows what to expect.
• Keep some aspects of your old routines to provide some stability, and establish new routines that will facilitate adjustment to the new situation.
• Identify what you will miss about what’s being left behind, and find ways to keep in touch with the feelings, people, or special aspects of what will be missed.
• Intentionally embrace and celebrate the new opportunities and exciting potential ahead of you.

To your new beginnings!