Honouring the In-Between: The Art of Transition

If there’s one theme that’s run through every chapter of my personal and professional life, it’s this - Transitions are where we do our most important inner work.

As a former HR Director, I’ve supported hundreds of people through change

-          stepping into bigger roles

-          finding their feet after redundancy

-          navigating restructures

-          starting businesses

-          returning after maternity leave, or

-          preparing for retirement (to name a few)

I’ve also lived them - moving out of home for the first time, getting married, becoming a parent, building a coaching and consulting business after a corporate career, feeling the onset of peri-menopause as my children grow more independent, and most recently, supporting my eldest son as he transitions out of school - and noticing how it’s prompted a transition of my own.

Then there are the collective transitions many of us experienced through the pandemic - adapting overnight to new ways of working, redefining connection, rethinking priorities, and in many cases, facing loss. For many, that period accelerated a reckoning with who we want to be and how we want to live.

I still remember early in my HR career reading Transitions by William Bridges. It was the first time someone had given language to what I could see all around me - that change isn’t just the external event, it’s the internal process of letting go, living in the in-between, and eventually embracing the new. Naming that process changed how I supported others (and myself) through it.

Life rarely gives us tidy lines between what was and what is. Transitions often begin long before the change is official, and they linger long after it’s complete. This is where we can look to the seasons for wisdom and comparison, we don’t overnight go from summer to autumn, or winter to spring – the signs are often subtle and interwoven.

Transitions can be emotional, messy, and deeply revealing (can you tell it’s close to home?!) and they require more than just pushing towards action, or a strategy.

Honouring the in-between is about recognising that change isn’t always neat or inspiring. Often, it’s emotional, messy, even chaotic - leaving our brains feeling confused, stuck, or anxious rather than peaceful, excited, or clear. It can also be deeply revealing as if we are willing to lean in, we see things and feel things that we might not otherwise have noticed. Useful data that can guide us and enlighten us.

These words and feelings are very close to home as I navigate a current personal transition - parenting teens, managing hormonal shifts, and supporting my eldest son’s move from secondary to further education. Alongside this, I’m reflecting on what this new phase means for my own career, after seven years of self-employment following my decision to leave the corporate world for more flexibility to parent and invest in self-care. Transitions like these naturally stir up questions about where time has gone, what lies ahead, and - perhaps most deeply - who I am now.

Our sense of identity often shifts during transitions, challenging us to redefine ourselves in ways that honour both our past and the unknown future.

By honouring these periods with care, we give ourselves permission to be human in the process, creating space to navigate uncertainty more compassionately and find our way to genuine, lasting change. I say ‘lasting’ lightly, as I truly believe change is constant!

During times of transition, and especially my current one, I’ve found that choosing stillness - consciously stepping back from the noise and busyness, creates vital space for clarity and calm. Inspired by a friend’s simple question, ‘Can you just be still for a while?’, I started walking, running, and cycling without distractions, focusing on my breath and the rhythm of movement. I’ve embraced moments of silence, intentional breathwork, and presence in nature, allowing myself to BE rather than constantly DO.

Stillness doesn’t always come easy, especially when you’re in a busy leadership role and the luxury of time feels out of reach. For me, it’s been about making small, conscious habit changes that create pockets of space to think and feel - resisting the urge to fill every moment with stimulation and distraction. This stillness isn’t always comfortable, but it’s where insights emerge and the next steps begin to reveal themselves.

What I’ve learned - and what I gently offer here - is that navigating transitions isn’t about moving quickly to get to the new (like a problem that needs immediately fixing). It’s about staying present to what’s emerging, letting go of what no longer fits, and creating space for something new to arrive.

Why Transitions Are So Challenging

Transitions take us into the in-between - the place where the old has ended, but the new hasn’t fully formed. Whether it’s a promotion, redundancy, returning to work after leave, becoming a parent or carer, moving out for the first time, or simply realising you’re not who you were before the pandemic - these thresholds can leave us feeling adrift.

We often try to rush through it. We want answers, clarity, action. But growth doesn’t always work like that.

It’s also natural and understandable for organisations and senior leaders to want teams to move through change quickly. The unsettling nature of transition can mean lower productivity, less efficiency, and slower progress, all of which can impact the bottom line. But pushing too hard or too fast often backfires, creating lingering resistance, disengagement, or burnout that costs even more in the long run.

In my work with leaders and teams, I often see people try to leap ahead - into control, into doing, but if we don’t allow ourselves to pause, feel, and reflect, we risk bringing the past with us in ways that no longer serve.

What Helps: 5 Gentle but Grounded Tips

These aren’t quick fixes, but I hope these invitations offer both steadiness and perspective:

1. Name the transition

   
   

   Even when change is subtle, naming it helps. ‘I’m not just changing jobs - I’m shifting identity.’ Language brings clarity and dignity to the experience.

   
   

2. Make space to feel

   
   

   Every transition brings emotion - fear, loss, excitement, renewal, optimism. Give yourself permission to feel without judgment. Whether it’s journaling, walking, talking, or simply pausing - feelings need room to breathe, rather than be supressed.

   
   

3. Beware of the temptation to rush

   
   

   It’s tempting to move on quickly. It often doesn’t feel good, so we want it to pass. We tend to fill the space, say yes to the next thing or busy ourselves to avoid feeling. Sometimes that’s right. But often, we need stillness to catch up with ourselves. You’re allowed to be ‘in-between’ for a while.

   
   

4. Reconnect with what anchors you

   
   

   In times of change, routines, relationships, and rituals matter. What nourishes you? What gives you perspective? I find it helpful to focus on four foundations using the BACE self-help method. BACE stands for body care, achievement, connection and enjoyment.

   
   

5. Ask yourself - who am I becoming?

   
   

   Every transition is an invitation to evolve. Who are you growing into? What values matter most now? Let those questions guide your next steps.

   
   

Whether you're a leader navigating team transitions, a parent facing a new season, someone caring for others, or simply wondering what’s next after a turbulent few years - know this:

Transitions are the in-between - powerful places where we’re invited to release and renew. They’re not always easy, but they can guide us back to what truly matters and often reconnect us to who we really are.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear what transition you’re in - or what helps you through it. I read every reply, and your stories help me craft future posts and newsletters that feel useful and real.

Share by emailing me at michelle@awakenedexecutives.com.

And if you need help navigating a transition, whether it’s 1:1 coaching partnership to support you moving into a bigger role, or consulting support to help your team or organisation manage change, drop me an email and we can arrange to chat.

With best wishes

Michelle