Transition rituals. Helping our brains and bodies move from one thing to the next is key to regaining energy, helping our minds shift more easily, and to feeling more productive and alive at the end of the day. A transition ritual is a simple practice of taking a moment, a break, between appointments, tasks, or any other shifts in the day to more easily and more mindfully move from one to the next. It could be breathing, listening to a song, taking a coffee or water break, meditating on a word, anything that allows your brain and body to rest for a moment, more calmly transitioning to the next.
I first heard about transition rituals when I was in grad school. A professor started talking about how important this practice was for therapists as we move from one client session to the next. Each session we need to bring different parts of who we are, skills, and offerings to the people we work with, and we need to be able to shift from what one person needs, to what the next person needs. It’s great self-care for me as I am holding space for one person’s story and then shifting, caring for myself, so that I can bring my very best energy and self to my next client.
A great secret about transition rituals….they count for meditation! There is SO much research now about the positive immediate impact that meditation can have on us. Research also supports the ongoing positive outcomes of meditation for months even years after we start a meditative practice.
A few of these incredible outcomes of meditative or mindful practices are:
- stress and anxiety reduction
- promoting better sleep
- generating kindness
- increasing focus
- helping with pain control
Meditation does not have to be 20 minutes twice a day to have a positive impact. Transitioning with 2-3 minutes of quiet breathing can have similar effects in helping our minds take breaks to rest, then move ahead, filling us with time that we took care of ourselves and restored the ever sought after energy.
Once you sit for just a few moments, your body will start to respond. You can literally feel your muscles relax. Your brain will get the restoration it’s likely craving. Practice this ritual whenever you can. From one thing to the next. From home to work. From work to home. It will change you. It will change the you that you bring to the people in your life. Brendon Burchard is a very successful business coach who teaches a transition ritual that he uses throughout his day. He uses the word “release” and then sets an intention for whatever’s coming next. These release meditations have had really positive outcomes for him and for his clients.
Trust me, this works. Try it. Take a few minutes a few times a day to try it and pretty soon, you may be doing a transition ritual every time you can.
Next Steps
If you are someone looking to find relief from the stress and anxiety of a busy world, there are therapists such as myself that specialize in supporting these needs. Please contact me here. I offer free 15 minute consultations where I’ll try to get an idea of what you are dealing with and how I can help. I can let you know if I think therapy would be a good fit for you. We will get a good sense of each other and can decide if I’m the best fit for you. Together we will make a plan for the next steps.