How to Transition With GRACE
Endings and Beginnings
Endings and beginnings have a symbiotic relationship. Life works this way, through a series of changes, letting go of one thing to make space for something new. It’s as constant as our own breath.
“A moment’s beginning ends in a moment”
― Munia Khan
These past six years I’ve had the creative freedom to build my business (Pieces of I), help build a nonprofit (My Density Matters), immerse myself in the global values community, create my SHAPE A4 Framework, start writing articles and poetry on multiple platforms, and become a women’s health advocate. All of it came from a series of choices, beginnings and endings, that will continue for as long as I’m here to choose.
One of my recent choices is to write where the writer’s write: on Substack. My newsletter is called Know Your Value, Live Your Values, and the first article is A Spark Can Become a Flame. I’ll be sharing most of my writing there, and I’d love for you to join me.
Why Change?
Change is one of the constants in life, and yet, we often resist it. Our body, mind, and every breath we take is different than the last. It’s impossible to keep things the way they were.
Working in the healthcare industry has reminded me that the ages and stages of life cannot be taken for granted (from newborn to end-of-life). Aging is a privilege, and there are no guarantees. So how do we learn to appreciate our own transitions?
Ages & Stages
Beyond the physical, change comes in many forms (education, travel, friendships, family, health, work, and the many challenges we meet along the way). One of the gifts we can give ourselves is to learn to transition with GRACE.
Grace is often described as something we give or offer with ease, flow, or elegance, but I see it as a conscious willingness and choice. Grace is self-agency in motion, the inner decision to respond thoughtfully to life’s ups and downs. The beautiful thing about grace is that it’s not transactional. It is given freely. Grace is a gift to both the receiver and the giver, even if that giver is you, offering yourself grace as you move from ‘what was’ to ‘what will be’.
Grace is built on a foundation of five value pillars: gratitude, respect, acceptance, compassion, and empathy.
GRACE (Gratitude, Respect, Acceptance, Compassion, Empathy)
GRATITUDE
Gratitude is the perfect starting point no matter what emotions we’re feeling. As we end ‘what was’, pause to recall the moments, people, challenges, and opportunities that brought you to where you are.
What did you learn?
What acts of kindness did you receive?
What acts of kindness did you extend?
How did you change from where you started?
If you’re feeling down, anxious, or concerned about a transition, begin or end your day in a state of thankfulness. Start small, write down three things a day. The goal is to give and receive gratitude with the same ease you wish to give and receive grace.
RESPECT
We don’t have to like every person, place, or thing to respect their unique contribution to the world. Wouldn’t it be boring if we were all the same, or if we were to see, hear, or do the exact same thing every day? Respect isn’t about agreement; it’s about making room for perspectives different from our own.
I grew up the youngest of six children. We had plenty of laughs, disagreements, and moments of solitude as the family shifted through our own ages and stages of life. But just like the bowl of jelly beans my dad kept hidden under his chair, when you take one of each color, and savor the differences, you understand a bit more about how opinions form and free-will unfolds.
By respecting the choices of others, without becoming emotionally attached to the outcomes, we gain a broader perspective. There is no one right or perfect (way, job, lifestyle, body, face, or life). They’re simply different.
Holding onto expectations or assumptions keep us stuck. Respect is the process of letting and allowing ‘what will be’.
ACCEPTANCE:
Acceptance is often the most challenging aspect of any transition because it asks us to face reality as it is, not as we hoped it would be. It serves as the emotional gatekeeper:
When closed, we remain stuck in old stories and familiar patterns that no longer serve us.
When opened, even slightly, we create space for clarity, growth, and possibility.
Acceptance doesn’t mean we have to like the situation. It simply invites us to acknowledge the truth of the moment with honesty and without judgment. When we stop resisting ‘what is’, we reclaim our energy and redirect it toward ‘what’s next.’ That’s where true transition begins.
COMPASSION:
November was Compassion Month 💜, a powerful reminder of our shared humanity as partners around the world contributed tools, events, and “What Can I Do?” declarations.
I’ve been taking ‘Cognitively-based Compassion Training’ (an Emory University course offered through our partners at The Charter for Compassion) after receiving ‘the call’ in August to deepen my own commitment to this value.
“Compassion is the warm-hearted concern that unfolds when we witness the suffering of others and feel motivated to relieve it”
The more I learn, the more I realize that compassion a keystone of my own life and a transformative model of change for purpose-driven leaders and teams seeking to navigate transitions with GRACE.
EMPATHY:
Empathy is the ability to understand and honor the emotions and experiences of others, even when their journey looks nothing like ours. In seasons of transition, empathy becomes essential. It softens judgment, deepens connection, and reminds us that none of us are moving through change alone.
Empathy doesn’t require us to fix anything or offer solutions. It simply asks us to be present, to listen, to witness, and to acknowledge the humanity in someone else’s moment of change. When we extend empathy outward and inward, we cultivate the emotional safety needed to grow with GRACE.
WHEN Stories
Recently, I took the stage to talk about some of my own life transitions with my WHEN Story. A WHEN Story is an exploration of moments When Everything Changed and how we use the lessons to move in a new direction.
Life continues to change, naturally, but when we’re open to receive the lessons (with GRACE), it changes the whole trajectory: We move from the victim to the victor of our life. It’s a much more confident cape to wear, but requires courage, compassion, and conviction to cross the threshold.
TALK can be seen/heard on YouTube
PODCAST and SONG released December 8, 2025
ANTHOLOGY (BOOK) released December 10, 2025
CLOSING
In my last newsletter, What Can I Do? I reflected on how life’s messiness often pulls us into fight, flight, freeze, or fawn (reacting from fear) instead of responding with intention. We explored how compassion creates clarity, choice, and connection, helping us transform challenges into opportunities for growth.
Offer yourself self-compassion and learn to lead with calm confidence no matter what life brings. My “Know Your Value, Live Your Values” talk helps individuals and teams develop the clarity and confidence to take aligned action.
Wishing you the very best as we prepare for the year ahead!
Know your value, Live your values