Mining the Gap
When we find ourselves in the midst of a transition, it can be mentally, physically and emotionally confusing. Sometimes it can be so disorienting that we’re not even sure what to do next. What was once obvious to us is no longer, because we’ve lost our bearings from one phase to another.
In reality, we’ve entered the in-between or gap phase of transition. As William Bridges, author of “Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes” says: “We’re not who we were before and we’re not yet who we’re going to be.”
For some people, the way to cope during this in-between time is to try harder. Increase our effort or our intensity to make something happen.
As counter-intuitive as it sounds, the gap between one phase and the next is really a time for reflection. It’s a time to surrender to the emptiness and spaciousness that is making us so uncomfortable.
This time of introspection is how we mine the gap to successfully navigate to our next phase. The gap provides the necessary time for our minds to catch up and make the all-important psychological shift that positions us for what’s next.
Whether it’s a career, relationship or life-stage transition, there is a process of moving from one phase to the next. The gap serves as a bridge between the old way and the new way of being. Accepting this time is the surest way to mine the gap for your best results.
