Celebration: the End of Change

(Photo by James Resly on Unsplash)

This spring we’ve explored the change process through an ongoing series of posts.  This week I share about how to know your transformation is complete… and how to celebrate!

After everything you’ve been through…. there comes a moment where things are different.  Your wings have grown in, they’re dry, and you’ve taken them on enough test flights to trust them. 

You’ve changed.  It’s done.  You’re you - transformed.

Your transformation could be so subtle that you don’t notice.  Other people’s comments are what help you see your brightly colored wings.  Or it could be entirely evident to you and everyone that things are really really different.  New life has emerged.

Completion

The final phase of change is completion.  

It’s when you’re actually finished.  Not much is coming to mind that you need to work out if you’re going to stay this way.  You don’t need to dream up anything new - your life feels kind of like a dream.  There aren’t any new plans to make.  And thank goodness, the hardest part of the struggle is over.  You can float now. 

It’s a beautiful moment and one that needs recognition.  

Recognizing your Transformation

If you don’t stop and honor what you’ve been through, a few things can happen.  First, you might just keep working your tail off.  If you don’t recognize that the hardest part of the change is over - you will keep the pressure on yourself.  When you’re through the hard part, it’s ok to dial down the pressure.  It’s possible to reach a point where you sustain your transformation, you don’t work for it all the time.  Working for it when you don’t need to leads to burnout.  

Another thing that could happen if you don’t recognize the ending of the change is that you might feel let down. You’ll have put in all your resources - time, energy, attention, effort - and feel kind of low instead of elated.  This happens even if you get exactly what you want in the change process. 

It happens because you got used to working in a direction.   You get used to the process and can’t actually settle into contentment with who or what you are.  You may feel kind of empty. It’s this feeling that propels people to jump into the next change process without a rest. 

Remember, It’s ok to be content and to sustain the new version of yourself for a while before searching for your ‘next big thing.’

Time to Celebrate

Now is the time to celebrate all that you’ve been through.  Celebration rituals mark transitions in our lives.  They let us know that we’ve been transformed and will never be who we were before.  

Celebration can look like anything you want it to look like.  It can include loud music, balloons, cake, and a million people.  Celebration can be a time of quiet sitting and reflecting by a river.  It can be whatever helps you close the book on this transformational journey.

The most powerful rituals ask us to look both backwards and forwards.  To add meaning to your ritual, include a moment to recognize where you started, time for sharing about your journey, collecting the wisdom from the process and setting intentions for moving forward.  You might include a powerful moment of letting go (releasing a flower into a river, or a letter into a fire).   An offering of gratitude. And a moment to honor those people, places, and unseen forces that supported your change.    

Finally, don’t forget to FEAST!  Celebration includes feeding the newborn being.  You can feast on actual food.  You could choose to feast with your other senses.  But feed yourself (or let others feed you)  

I mentioned previously that you can have any type of celebration. But I recommend doing at least one thing where you invite others to share in your transformation. These should be trusted friends who you really want to have as witnesses of your transformation. Sharing with your dear ones allows you to really claim your new life in front of people who love and support you.  They people may or may not get it… they may or may not change how they act towards you.  But I can’t stress how powerful it is for YOU to name and claim your transformation through celebration with others.  

Honoring your Journey

You’ve walked a long road.  Been through the depths of your heart and mind and come out the other side.  You’ve been bold enough to dream and clear enough to plan.  You’ve worked your way through the struggles.  Now is the time to enjoy the bounty of your harvest.  

Now is the time to settle in and celebrate your transformation. 

Here’s to YOU!