Life Transitions: Thresholds of Change, Identity, and Meaning
Our lives move through seasons of change just as nature cycles from spring to summer, autumn, and winter. Each life transition can be like stepping over a threshold between what was and what comes next. Like the turning of the seasons, these transitions can be both beautiful and challenging. They often require us to shed old layers and nurture new growth in our identity and purpose.
Life transitions come in many forms. For example, you might be:
Finishing school or leaving home for the first time (entering adulthood)
Navigating career changes or an “empty nest” as children grow up (midlife shifts)
Adjusting to retirement or other later-life changes (the next chapter of life)
Each of these moments can stir up a mix of excitement, uncertainty, loss, and hope. They are crucial periods that shape our sense of who we are and what matters. When we step into a new season of life, we often find ourselves asking, “Who am I now?” and “What truly matters at this stage?” Such questions are a natural part of growth. A teenager moving into adulthood, for example, must redefine themselves outside the familiar world of school and family. In midlife, a person might reflect on whether their career or lifestyle still aligns with their deeper values. And later in life, one often looks back and seeks meaning in the journey they’ve traveled and the legacy they’ll leave.
Psychologists and thinkers have long recognized the importance of these threshold moments. Developmental psychologist Erik Erikson famously outlined stages of psychosocial development from adolescence’s quest for identity to the reflective tasks of later adulthood. Similarly, Carl Jung wrote in his essay “The Stages of Life” that the “afternoon” of life has its own purpose and cannot be merely a dull afterthought to life’s morning . And contemporary author Hugh Crago, in The Stages of Life: Personalities and Patterns in Human Emotional Development, discusses how predictable challenges tend to emerge at each life phase, repeating patterns from youth through old age . These perspectives highlight that transitions are both natural and significant — they shape who we become.
Identity often evolves at life transitions. Crossing a threshold means letting go of parts of our old self and allowing a new self to emerge. This isn’t always easy. We may grieve the loss of a familiar role even as we embrace new possibilities. (For instance, a new parent might miss carefree days even while loving their child, or a recent retiree might feel lost without their professional identity before discovering a new calling.) Psychologist Erikson described midlife as a time when adults strive to create or nurture things that will outlast them — through raising children, mentoring, or contributing to the community — a drive he called “generativity” . If we don’t find a way to contribute or grow, we risk stagnation. In the later years, the focus often turns to life review: finding a sense of fulfillment or integrity in what we’ve done, rather than despair over what we haven’t. In every case, moving forward requires us to adapt our identity to fit the new season of life.
Just as nature shows us that each season has its purpose, each stage of life offers its own meaning. Spring is about new growth, summer about full bloom and productivity, autumn about harvest and change, and winter about reflection and wisdom. If we cling to endless summer, we might miss the unique beauty of autumn’s change. In life, resisting change can lead to frustration, while embracing the next season can open us to growth. “Whoever carries over into the afternoon the law of the morning… must pay for it with damage to his soul,” Jung warned – a poetic way of saying that holding on too tightly to the past can hinder our well-being. By contrast, when we accept change, we allow ourselves to grow into new roles and discover fresh sources of meaning. The autumn and winter of life can be just as meaningful as spring and summer – times for harvesting wisdom, deepening relationships, and understanding ourselves more fully.
I am deeply passionate about helping individuals navigate these seasons of change and have worked with young adults as they define themselves, with midlife clients facing questions of purpose, and with elders engaging in life review and reflection. These transitional moments can be challenging, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. Talking with someone who understands the terrain can provide support and perspective, turning uncertainty into an opportunity for personal growth.
If you’re standing at one of life’s crossroads and seeking guidance through your own transition, consider working with me. It’s an invitation to be heard, to explore what’s next, and to discover new meaning in your current season of life. Embrace the journey – every season of change holds the potential for a new beginning.
