The Tenderness of Transition
As the seasons begin to shift, nature reminds us that change is both inevitable and essential. Summer gives way to autumn, daylight softens, and leaves start their quiet descent. These transitions are tender — marked by beauty, but also by loss. We welcome cooler mornings and golden skies, yet we may also feel a pang for the long days of summer that are slipping away.
Our inner lives mirror this rhythm. Every transition — whether it’s a new role, a deepening relationship, or a shift in identity — carries both promise and discomfort. Growth asks us to let go of something we’ve known to make space for something new. And letting go, even when it’s for our highest good, can sting.
Growth Can Be Uncomfortable
Think of growth like stretching a muscle you haven’t used in a while. The act itself can be uncomfortable, and sometimes even painful. Yet that tenderness signals that something is opening, lengthening, expanding beyond what it once was.
The same is true when we grow as people. Learning or evolving often requires us to step into unfamiliar territory, where discomfort is an inevitable part of the process.
The Challenge of Learning Something New
In our professional lives, growth often shows up as learning. Maybe you’ve been doing your work in a certain way for years, and then a training, mentor, or fresh perspective shows you another path.
In that moment, it’s easy to think: Have I been doing it wrong all this time?
That thought is tender, and it’s also a sign you’re in transition. The truth is, you weren’t “wrong” — you were doing the best you could with the tools you had. Now you’ve been given a new tool, one that expands your practice and refines your craft. What came before still has value; it simply brought you to this point, ready for the next step.
The In-Between Space
Transitions often bring a mix of emotions: grief for what is passing away, and curiosity for what is emerging. When compassion guides us, the process becomes gentler. Compassion doesn’t erase the discomfort, but it does remind us that discomfort isn’t failure — it’s a sign of growth.
In yoga, there’s a moment in between postures where the body is neither entirely in one shape nor the next. That pause can feel awkward, uncertain, even vulnerable. Yet it’s also where change is happening. Our breath recalibrates, our tissues shift, and we prepare for what’s next.
So it is with life. In the in-between — when we’re no longer who we were, but not yet who we’re becoming — tenderness is our companion.
Moving Forward With Tenderness
This season, as the days shorten and the air cools, notice what’s shifting in you. Where do you feel the ache of letting go? Where do you sense the spark of new beginnings? And most importantly, how can you bring tenderness to yourself as you move through the space between?
It is in the tenderness of transition that we quietly, beautifully, become.
Ready to Explore Your Own Transition?
If you’re moving through change — whether in career, relationships, or your sense of self — you don’t have to navigate it alone. Yin with Kim Wayfinder life coaching offers tools, practices, and support to help you honor what’s ending while stepping with clarity into what’s emerging.
🌿 Schedule a free consultation with Yin with Kim Life Coaching and begin your journey with compassion
