The TraNSITION WORKBOOK
Preparing for Re-Entry or Your Next Major Move
Change can happen in split seconds.
Inner transition takes time.
Transitioning to a new location and into new realms of service can impact everything from what we have in our savings accounts to what we eat for breakfast. Even more challenging is how transition and change impact our relationships, emotions, and attitudes.
Endings
Neutral Zone
New Beginnings
In his book, Managing Transitions (1991), William Bridges has a model for the interior transitions we undergo when we experience exterior change in our relationships and circumstances:
Endings
Circumstances and relationships come to an end; we find that we have lost or are losing what once was; we must let go of what has been in order to engage in what is to come.
Neutral Zone
We navigate how to engage in the new challenges before us. This stage is disorienting and uncomfortable, yet full of creative and
productive possibilities.
New Beginnings
New beginnings are marked by new or deeper senses of identity, re-orientation, and purposeful engagement.
Read more: What is Transition by William Bridges
WHAT IS THE GOAL FOR THE WORKBOOK?
Notice the words describing the first stage of our interior transitions: Ending. Losing. Letting go. Change involves loss. This even includes changes we desire!
Our goal in The Transition Workbook is to help you engage purposefully with the dynamics of the 'Endings' stage. This can help you see what you are moving toward with more realism and more hope. Other potential rewards include:
Greater understanding – of yourself, God, and others
Emotional preparedness – for the inevitable adjustments
Blessed relationships – through your increased intentionality in saying goodbye
Good closure – granting increased freedom in the next stage of your journey
WHO IS THE WORKBOOK FOR?
If you are returning to your country of origin or moving to a new field of cross-cultural service, this resource is for YOU. It is designed with individuals, families, and teams in mind.
As you engage in The Transition Workbook, you will be
building a R.A.F.T.
A R.A.F.T. enables us to leave each other well, without regrets. It is an acrostic denoting a pre-departure process which was originally introduced by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken in their enlightening book Third Culture Kids. We highly recommend this book for families with children who have experienced life in cross-cultural settings, as well as for adults who grew up overseas.
WHEN SHOULD I START THE WORKBOOK?
4 to 6 months
before departure
The prime time to begin!
1 to 3 months
before departure
Look for instructions, activities and reflections prioritized by brown-colored text to help you streamline your process!
Urgent departure
Immediate or crisis departure?
Explore: Uprooted with no R.A.F.T.
Contact the SentWell Team to discuss options for care.
HOW CAN I MAKE THE MOST OF THE TRANSITION WORKBOOK?
The Transition Workbook has five sections.
Start here! This section will help you to make the most of the workbook's sections and resources by preparing you for the workbook's reflections, activities, and suggestions. It includes suggestions for strategic scheduling, and spiritual (and other) practices that are beneficial for moving through transition.
Section 2 is the main processing engine of The Transition Workbook. It includes creative suggestions to support you in your reflections. Make sure you review Section 2.0 before you go on to other sections!
Section 3 provides fun and meaningful closure activities for individuals, families, and teams. You will need intentionality to prepare for these activities. You will benefit most from scheduling these activities during your last 3 months. Visit Section 3 to plan these activities in advance.
SECTION 4: Strategic Preparation
Section 4 offers prompts as you prepare for your move.
Section 5 concerns your initial arrival in your new location. It provides ideas for planning the time you will need to adjust, including information on debriefing programs. Debriefing programs fill up well in advance, so consult this section as soon as you can.