One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 3:13 as it says, “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” Now normally this would provide some motivation and encouragement about moving forward in life. However, one thing that typically leaves me overwhelmed is figuring out what to do in the middle. The middle of “I’m not able to go back to what I used to know, but I am not quite where I want to be in life.”
I tend to call these moments “transitional phases” or “messy middles.” Life is full of transitions such as transitioning from college life to the workforce, single life to being married, moving from one home into another, and creating healthier eating habits and lifestyle changes.
Being in the middle of a transitional phase can often feel overwhelming and stressful. We understand that what worked in the past will not be as effective for the future, however, what do we do when the future hasn’t arrived just yet? Glad you asked!
While in the middle of a transition, my focus has to remain on the future goal. Oftentimes we place too much emphasis on the “mess of the middle” and lose sight as to why we decided to make a transition in the first place. Give yourself more grace than usual while in a transition. Allot time for self-care in order to decompress and release stress. Last but not least, do not shame yourself. It is very easy to form negative self-talk patterns during these moments. We will say things to ourselves such as, “I can’t do this.” “I can’t handle this.” “I’m not built for this.” These statements usually come from negative emotions and often times aren’t true.
Remember, “messy middles” are a part of life. Accept them. Embrace them. The beautiful part of these phases is found in where we grow, gain endurance, learn more about ourselves, and gain a clearer perspective of our own strengths.
