I’ve long been fascinated by transitions—how they impact us with their gifts and challenges—and how we navigate them as part of our resilience and growth.
Can you relate to these key transitions we consciously and unconsciously experience~~
- Everyday simple transitions like going and returning from places like home, school, or work.
- Complex bigger ones like moving out of and into new homes, schools, work, and environments.
- Dynamic ones like entering into or exiting out of relationships
- Internal transitions through sickness and health, in loss and accomplishments.
In my childhood I experienced the transition of having a solid home and community be washed away overnight by devastating major floods…twice in nine years! Everyone in Northern California was impacted by the losses and changes as their homes, businesses, schools, and communities disappeared in the raging muddy waters, and new decisions and circumstances emerged.
I witnessed my dad live through all of this with resilience, fortitude, and community spirit as he rebuilt our home and his business that was the mainstay of our rural hometown. He greatly influenced my own navigation of these big transitions, and prepared me for the many to follow throughout my life…a life-threatening illness at age 15, four colleges, 42 residences, 24 jobs, countless relationships, and one long career spanning 5 decades.
Through all those transitions I wish I had had some GROK cards to help me better understand the feelings and needs of both myself and others, and to make more empowering requests for help and support. What I fortunately did have was my mom and dad and cherished friends.
Right NOW I’m in quite a fascinating transition and want to tell you briefly about it in hopes you can both celebrate and relate!
You know how it feels to accomplish something big for yourself, and then step aside and move on to do “the next big (or little) thing? I’m there!
This month of September, (which traditionally represents transitioning back to school and is also the Jewish New Year), I’m transitioning from co-founding and operating Galloping Giraffe Enterprises with Christine King for 16 years…to entrusting my half of our flourishing biz to friend and colleague, Mary Goyer!
Mary is the perfect person to integrate into Galloping Giraffe Enterprises and all our operations and offerings at GROKtheWORLD.com!
In addition to already being close friends with Claire, our VP of Everything, and Claire’s mom Christine, Mary is a trainer and coach for organizations and teams, lives NVC principles and practices, and is a mother to Charlie, her delightful (almost) 2-yr old.
Mary brings enthusiasm, skills, and passion for supporting others in their communication, relationships, and in attaining their goals. She is the editor of The Healing Power of Empathy. Learn more about Mary here the about us page of our web site.
I’m eager to see what Mary and Claire bring forth through GROKtheWORLD with their skills, creativity, and vision as their generation joins the experienced counsel and guidance of Christine (and me once in awhile :~)
You’ll still see me on GROKtheWORLD.com, in newsletters, and various customer emails and projects that capture my creative side. How could I possibly disappear when we’ve accomplished so much and so many needs have been hugely satisfied…camaraderie, friendship, creativity, trust, acceptance, inspiration, FUN, learning and growth, contribution, empathy and compassion, and most all the other 72 NEEDS you’ll find on our GROK cards!
I wish you all well in all your ever-arriving and evolving transitions, and the benefits of change. Please feel free to keep in touch with me at giraffe@cruzio.com.
Onward we all go ~
Jean
Check out Christine's tribute to Jean.