Graduation season is upon us once again, reminding us all that life is a series of thresholds and transitions from one season of life to another. A threshold between what has been, and what is becoming. Graduation, like any time that represents a change from the old to the new, can evoke emotions that range anywhere from scary and anxiety producing to exciting and exhilarating.
Make The Most Of The Transition Time
I am a staunch believer in the value and importance of intentional reflection times. Especially during season of life transitions and changes. These are pivotal times that usually include major life decisions. Decisions that literally will impact the entire trajectory of one’s life. Given the often lifelong implications of these decisions, wisdom would suggest taking some time to create space to think, ponder, be still, and listen.
Like so many who go through transitions, you may be thinking you will simply move into the next thing and hopefully not miss a beat. Yet, internally there are signals that what you need is time to withdraw from the path and reflect before continuing on. Some of these internal clues may look like this:
- unresolved questions, disappointments or hurts from the past season
- fatigue or anxiety
- unclarity about next steps
- feeling overwhelmed
On the other hand, even if you are filled with anticipation and expectation and hopefulness for the future, it is STILL valuable to take some time for reflection before moving on. There are still insights to gain and learnings to glean that will be useful for moving into the future.
Just Stop For A Moment
Students (and anyone in the midst of a transition) allow me to challenge you to miss a beat. Just stop for a moment. Get off the path, the rat race, and step out of the pressure to just keep plowing ahead. And listen.
Take a morning, a day or maybe even a couple of days to create some solitude and silence and spend some time simply in the space. There is something so refreshing, renewing and helpful about creating space.
Find a park, a quiet place to hang out for a few hours, or maybe even a retreat center to go to. I know you’re thinking that stuff is only for old people, but maybe old people do it because they’ve learned something about the value of it.
Questions For Reflection
- What can you celebrate and feel good about as you look back? While awards and accomplishments may be part of that, think more deeply to the hard choices you made to do the right thing, to take the high road, to live out your authentic and best self even when it was unpopular? What does this say about you, and what’s important to you?
- What was hard, painful, or something you wish you would have done differently? Is there anything you need to do? Anyone you need to forgive, or ask forgiveness of? Maybe you need to forgive yourself. Or perhaps there is something you can learn from what happened?
- What are the commitments you want to make to yourself about the kind of person you want to be going forward? How do you want to be different in this next season, or what do you want to continue to do/ be going forward?
- What am I looking forward to and why? What does this say about what is important to me?
- What am I not looking forward to and why? What does this also say about me?
- Is the path ahead one that I really want, or is it what others expect of me?
There are many other questions that could be asked and thought through. You may come up with your own set of helpful questions to think about. So, find a quiet place for a few hours or a few days. Turn off the phone, unplug and unwind, and allow the space and solitude to envelope you. I can assure you that you won’t regret taking the time or making the effort.
Starting now, early in life, to put a rhythm and pattern in place to create intentional space for solitude and listening could be the best graduation gift you ever give yourself.