One of the things that can be very challenging about being a parent, especially a as a working mom, is that the stages of raising children keep changing; and change rather quickly.

I find that just when I get something figured out and am feeling like it’s all working like a well-oiled machine, something new comes up and it’s time to re-evaluate, try something new and establish a new routine or process. 

Your child starts sleeping well at night and the next thing you know you are potty training. Your child gets out of diapers and consistently makes it to the toilet in time and the next thing you know you are trying to navigate tantrums. You finally learn how to manage the tantrums in an effective way and now it’s time to find a preschool.

And that’s just from the parenting side.

I know that in my own career, particularly being a business owner, that there are always new stages as well, and just when I’ve figured one out, there’s a new one around the corner. It’s a reminder that life is never done. Really, it’s just a series of changes and transitions. Learning how to navigate, manage and thrive during the changes and transitions is key to living a happy life.

I am at a major transition point right now. I am heading into the stage of having a new baby and all that comes along with such a big addition and change in ones life.

Since this isn’t my first child, I don’t have some of the same questions and concerns that I did the first time, but it’s still a big transition, never-the-less.

On a personal note, I am thinking about how this will change our family dynamic, my time for my husband and my time for me, whether I remember how to do this, how different (or similar) it will be having a boy this time around, and how long will it take me to lose the baby weight.

On a professional note, I am thinking about how much time I will take off when the baby is born; how taking that time may impact my business; how much time I want to work moving forward;  and what the most ideal schedule will be after a month, three months, six months, etc. for me, the baby and my family.

I am finding it helpful to balance looking towards the future and setting a loose plan with staying in the moment and remembering that this stage, as well as the next and the next and the next, will go by so quickly. It’s a delicate dance between preparation, anticipation and celebration – of what will be in the future, as well as what already is now.

Change and transition are inevitable. The more we resist it, the more challenging life feels. The more we embrace it and find the support we need to navigate the transitions so that we are making the best decisions for ourselves and our families, the more satisfying and fun life feels.

Coaches Corner Questions:

• Is there a change in your life that you are resisting?
• Are you going through a personal or professional transition yourself right now? If so, are you embracing and getting the support you need to navigate with ease and grace or are you fighting it out of fear of change and the unknown?
• How are you modeling change and transition for your children or for those who work with you or for you?