This past year has been shaped by transition — in my own journey and in the conversations I’m having with many leaders and clients.
I’m seeing a clear pattern: many people are losing their jobs or leaving roles that feel limiting. They’re questioning cultures that no longer align with their values. They’re choosing to speak up, step away, or begin again – even without a clear plan ahead.
Transitions don’t always arrive neatly or on time. Sometimes they show up as loss, uncertainty, or the uncomfortable realisation that one just does not fit into the system anymore.
I’ve always loved winter as a metaphor for this space. On the surface, nothing seems to be happening. Yet beneath the ground, everything is preparing to grow. We’re conditioned to believe progress only comes from constant action — from output, achievement, productivity, and momentum. But some of the most important shifts happen in stillness.
I call this my “cave” period.
It can feel like you’re standing still, when in fact something essential is forming underneath. This is where clarity, creativity, and new direction quietly emerge – if we allow ourselves to pause. And yes, it’s uncomfortable and often scary, like free-falling into the unknown. It requires trust and surrender in a world that rewards certainty.
Recently, I spoke with a business colleague who described feeling stuck for years in a role where there was no space for his bold ideas. Safe decisions were rewarded whilst new visions were constrained. Only when he chose to leave and step into uncharted waters did his whole world open up. Today, he works internationally with leaders committed to meaningful change that affects lives at the grassroots level. This is something he is passionate about. He describes his work as “meaningful”, “fun,” and an “adventure.” Not words that many people use for their jobs.
What I’ve noticed in myself and others is that the next step rarely comes from forcing. It often arrives when we stop trying so hard. On a walk. During a conversation. A book. A chance connection. An encouraging word. These moments don’t follow our timelines — they appear when we’re open enough to notice them and brave enough to follow their direction.
If you’re in transition, or wondering what’s next, my invitation is this:
Slow down. Listen inwardly. Not to self-doubt, fear, or comparison but to the quieter voice deep within you.
Communication isn’t just outward. It’s the ability to hear your inner wisdom and guidance beyond the noise of what you “should” “ought” or “have” to do! Beyond what others think you “need” to do.
So, whether you are going through a small or big transition or just feeling stuck in your relentless hamster wheel of work, take a moment to stop and reflect.
What is trying to emerge for you right now if you stopped pushing and start allowing?
What if this uncertainty isn’t a problem to solve, but an invitation to trust?
So as the seasons change, you step forward, aligned with the clarity of purpose that feels unmistakably yours!
Transitions do not take us away from ourselves. They return us more whole, more honest, more alive to step onto our next chapter so we can bring our unique contribution and gifts to the world.
What will yours be?
Are you in a transition at work or in life?
What are you noticing when you allow yourself to stop, pause and reflect?