Transitional Change

By Dr. Antonio Bishop Sr.

“Life is filled with swift transition.” Life as we knew it has changed. Change is no longer a necessity, but change is mandatory. In order to remain relevant, we must attend to the revelation of God. This requires change. We can no longer operate with business as usual. Change is one thing that is constant. Transitional change is a process of internal and external realization that you embrace to move forward. The process requires key components, factors, and principles. We must become instruments of change.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781649522955

Book preview

Chapter 1

Change and Transition

Change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.

—Robin Sharma

One of the most difficult things for people to do is change. Change is difficult for a plethora of reasons. Change can bring an element of confusion. It can introduce more complex issues. Think about what would happen in an orchestra if all the instruments started in a different key or pitch. The utter chaos would not be pleasant to the ears. This is how some people view change— as an entity that causes confusion. Some people see change as a stressor. There are many stressors in life. Some stressors can be controlled, and others, we have no control over. The following is a list of changes in life that may cause stress: finances, health, death, marriage, divorce, pregnancy, and job. This shifting can be positive for some and negative for others. Change can interrupt your stability and security. Change is the external event or situation that takes place.

Transition is the inner psychological process that people go through as they internalize and come to terms with the new situation that change brings about. Change will bring about transition. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, Not in his goals but in his transitions man is great. We have been taught to set goals and to work on accomplishing those goals. That is a good strategy to have and practice; however, we should gain an understanding and appreciation for the process of transitioning that we first must internalize. The Bridges Transition Model states that there are three stages to transition. The first stage is endings. Paradoxically, transition begins with an ending. The first phase begins by identifying what you are losing and then how you will manage the loss. This stage can be the most difficult because the loss can be a relationship, job, possession, position, or location. The second stage of transition is the neutral zone. This step starts after letting go. The neutral zone is that in-between time when the old is gone, but the new isn’t fully operational. This is the critical time of the process. It is when the psychological realignments and the repatterning take place. This is the time of creating a new reality. The neutral zone is the seedbed for the third stage of transition, which is new beginnings. New beginnings involve new understandings, values, and attitudes. This is the time to establish new roles with an understanding of their purpose, the part they play, and how to contribute and participate most