This week I'm packing up my belongings and preparing to leave the city where I’ve lived for the last 13 years for a new home in NY’s Hudson Valley. Not surprisingly, this has me reflecting a lot on transitions and change.

One of my favorite writers on this topic is William Bridges. His contribution is to recognize that while we would love to think that transitions are all about fresh starts, in fact the fresh start is the last part of the process.

The first stage of transition is an ending — a letting go of what is past & will never be the same again. The second stage is an uncomfortable neutral zone, when we are adjusting to our new reality. Only after we’ve experienced the endings and the neutral zone do we truly get our new beginning.

Who are the writers, teachers, and thinkers who help you navigate change and transition? I’d love to know.