The transitional phase as a “doorstep experience”
A transitional phase does not arise out of nowhere. It is often marked by external changes such as relocation, a job change, new relationships, a shift in academic direction, or unexpected turns in life. At the same time, everything from our previous experience remains in the background, our perceptions of ourselves, expectations for the future, and often even an imagined vision of the new reality. Entering this phase, a person seems to stand on a doorstep, between where they once were and where they are about to arrive.
Alongside positive curiosity about what is new and anticipated, this threshold may also bring discomfort and heightened sensitivity to the moment of uncertainty. Stress is often present, as are questions that touch the very core of our identity: Who am I, and who will I be in this new situation as I step across the threshold?
As noted by the author of the article “The Impact of Transitions and How to Cope with Them” (2021), not all transitions are the same. Some are expected - changes we consciously prepare for and sometimes even long to experience. Others catch us unprepared, forcing us to quickly reconsider the order we have known. There are also so-called “non-event” transitions, - situations where change is connected to something that did not happen but that we had hoped for. Meanwhile, some changes may initially go unnoticed until, looking back, we realize how significantly they have altered the direction of our lives.
Although these experiences differ in form, they are united by a moment in which the old has not yet fully withdrawn and the new has not yet taken hold. These are deeply transformative phases that often require patience and, I would say, gentleness toward oneself.
When I look back on my own life, one of the most vivid transitions was my move from Latvia to Romania. With this step, not only did my daily rhythm change, but so did part of my professional identity. From the outside, it may have appeared to be a structured, courageous, and well-considered decision; yet internally, it was filled with questions about direction. What from my previous life would remain unchanged? What could I take with me, and what needed to be released? I also remember difficult moments when I experienced a sense of being stuck, even though I was in a new environment that was supportive. As I later heard in courses, this is the nature of transitions and of overcoming crises: adaptation, inner reorganization, a boundary line between the old and the new.
During this transitional period, I asked myself: What do I truly want? The answer did not come in a single day, yet my key values gradually became clearer: education, growth, creation, and sharing with others. These are the areas in which I feel alive and which, regardless of context, continue to reappear in my life as guiding points. With them came a growing sense of clarity about my direction.
During this time, I consciously sought both space for reflection and opportunities for growth, participating in supervision for educators, attending individual coaching sessions, continuing to learn, and building new collaborations. This helped me broaden my perspective and more clearly see what in my experience was connected to external circumstances and what truly belonged to my identity and values.
Looking back, I can say that a transitional phase or “doorstep experience,” as I metaphorically call it, is not only about adapting to a new reality but also about getting to know and accepting oneself more deeply.
Krista Kristiāna Kristapsone
Growth facilitator, youth worker, and Head of the organization Youth Initiative Center “Involvement for Change”