Big changes can be unsettling
The unfamiliar you
I often meet women who are in the middle of a career transition — not leaving work behind, not opting out, but moving from one professional chapter into another. It’s a phase that rarely looks dramatic from the outside. They’re still capable, still thinking ahead, still functioning. But internally, things feel unfamiliar.
One woman I worked with described it like this:
“I know I’m moving forward… I just don’t quite recognise how I feel while I’m doing it.”
For years, her sense of self had been closely tied to her role. She carried responsibility, made decisions, kept things moving. Even when life became complicated — family illness, increasing pressure, emotional load — she adjusted and carried on. That adaptability had always been her strength.
The transition came not as a collapse, but as a change in direction. A different role ahead. A new environment coming. A pause between one identity and the next.
And that’s where things became unsettling. She didn’t feel stressed in the old way. She wasn’t overwhelmed or frantic. Instead, she felt quieter. Less driven. Occasionally tired in the afternoons. Less certain about how to structure her days or where to place her energy. Motivation didn’t disappear — it just went offline for a while.
What stood out was her insight. She could see that something was shifting, but she didn’t yet have language for it. She kept saying, “I know this makes sense… I just didn’t expect it to feel like this.”
In many career transitions, especially for women who have spent years in high‑responsibility roles, the nervous system needs time to recalibrate. The old pace has gone, but the new rhythm hasn’t fully formed yet. Energy can dip. Drive can pause. Identity can feel slightly unanchored. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck. And it doesn’t mean you’ve lost your edge.
As she moved through this phase, something important happened. She became more emotionally steady. Less reactive. More selective about what she took on. She stopped absorbing pressure that wasn’t hers. She said, “I feel more present — I’m just not rushing anymore.” That’s often what transition really looks like: not dramatic reinvention, but a quieter re‑organisation.
If you’re in a career transition and feel calmer but less driven, steadier but slightly unsure of yourself, this isn’t failure. It’s not regression.
It’s the space where one professional identity loosens before the next one fully takes shape. A time when you become deregulated and would benefit from some gentle support. Not supplements or quick fixes – something more tuned to the whole you.
For many women, learning to tolerate that space — without rushing to fill it — is what allows the next chapter to begin in a healthier, more sustainable way. What’s been your experience?
#careerchange #unfamiliaryou
