The hardest transition for me was the actual saying goodbye. My son Avi went to NYU and each time I took him to the airport I cried. One time my daughter and I took him. When we got in the car to drive home we realized that both of us were crying so hard we couldn’t see to drive. We got some tissues from the back of the car and took a few moments. As we looked at each other we realized that we would be ok and Avi would be ok. With that positive outlook, we headed home.
The first Thanksgiving Avi was home from NYU, he focused on all the things that he didn’t like about his initial experience and he did not want to go back. We encouraged him to think about all of the wonderful, positive experiences that were coming to him and suggested that he should stick it out for the rest of the year. He did and we never heard another concern after that.
The end of summer is a time of transition in many ways. We are moving from one season to the next. Students are starting school – kindergarten, middle school, high school or college. It can be a time of stress and anxiety or it can be a time of optimism and hopefulness. What makes the difference? Your mental attitude, positive or negative, makes a huge difference in the choices you make and how your view events in your life.
And let’s not forget the families of those going through transitions. Moms and Dads are no longer needed full-time as their children enter kindergarten or go away to college. Their lives are also changing in profound ways. Siblings and friends of those leaving can feel abandoned and left behind. Again, this can be a time of stress and anxiety.
Of course, people have been experiencing transition and change for years without professional help, but why not make life easier by having a coach or guide as you go through the new, different experiences?
Hypnotherapy can help by encouraging a positive attitude for all of those affected by transition. Affirmations are a concrete way to change the voice in your head to a positive one. Instead of “I’m so afraid to go away to college” say “I’m looking forward to the challenges and new experiences college will bring.” For those not leaving, “I will make new friends and have new experiences.”