Debbie Petropoulos
How To Confidently Navigate Career and Life Transitions: 5 Tips For More Ease and Less Stress
Updated: Nov 30, 2022
Navigating Life's Big Transitions With Skill
Career and Life Transitions happen. Having the skills to successfully manage a major transition is an important need. Many professionals nearing or reaching mid-life are experiencing new roles and responsibilities, changes in career, family, life, or health and want more fulfillment and happiness.
Several impactful life events led One True You, LLC Founder and Life Coach - Deborah Petropoulos to shift her own life story and transition to Executive Coaching to help leaders experiencing major life changes -- from changing careers, to retiring, to starting up a business, to seeking a fresh start, to living a healthier life.
After thirty-two years in Global Pharmaceuticals, Deborah retired from AbbVie in 2015 and establishes close partnerships with executives and high-performing leaders to foster professional and personal development and success. The coaching process is collaborative, customized, dynamic, and client driven.
Life Happens When You're Busy Making Other Plans
When the unexpected happens in life, we're often taken off course. We may find ourselves suddenly living life differently than we expected. A disruptive change can create feelings of frustration, overwhelm, and stress. Leaning how to confidently navigate the transition and still live life are key factors to achieve successful outcomes.
Deborah helps her clients skillfully navigate challenging Life Transitions. She has personal experience with life transitions. The most life changing was Twin-To-Twin Transfusion Syndrome and its impact to the health and lives of her daughter and twin granddaughters.
During times of adversity, it's important to remember we're not alone. You, or someone you know is going through a significant change right now that may lead to a Life Transition. The change is temporary, but the transition can extend over months or years depending on the circumstances. During these pivotal times, it's helpful to have professional guidance. Deborah shares her Coaching insights and helps identify the strategies needed to support and enhance the lives of her clients.
Major Life Transitions Can Cause Feelings of Stress, Overwhelm and Frustration
Rather than dwell in an Emotional Spiral, it's helpful to focus on the desired changes we want to make. The challenges can be opportunities to enhance personal and professional growth.
Some of the common Life Transitions One True You Coaching helps our clients with include:
Career Change
Leadership, Promotions, New Roles and Responsibilities, Communication
Retirement
Divorce
Relationships
Family Dynamics
Caring for Aging Parents
Becoming An Empty Nester
Health Issues
Self-Care
Death, Loss of a Loved One
Life Transitions can be challenging and impactful. No matter how well we plan, we can't control the unexpected events that happen in life. And, because we're all different, how we react is unique.
Life Transition Coaching can help ease the challenges during times of career or life transition. A professional, skilled Life Coach can provide assistance, guidance, encouragement, and accountability.
5 Life Transition Tips for More Ease and Less Stress
Tip 1: Be Proactive Not Reactive
If you're thinking about leaving your job, changing careers, or retiring early, consider working with a Life Transition Coach now. Deciding to hire a coach before the need becomes critical can be one of the best decisions you can make. Don't wait until a negative situation at work pushes you into a reactive decision to leave. There's more to think about then just the financial aspects when leaving a long-time corporate career. Choosing to work with a Life Transition Coach as early as possible can help you assess your abilities and interests and create a pro-active exit strategy and well-thought through transition plan.
Tip 2: Consider Your Transition Needs and the Successful Outcome You Want to Create
A Life Transition Coach can provide counsel and encouragement through personal and career challenges. A Life Transition Coach can help individuals in different areas of their life and guide their clients to reach their ultimate goals. Deborah helps the professionals she partners with plan and achieve their career transition and retirement visions. To learn more about Coaching and the successful outcomes our clients experience through One True You Coaching - Read: Coaching Changes Lives
Tip 3: Choose to Invest in Yourself: Don't Navigate the Transition Alone
Opting to go through a major life transition alone is a choice that can ultimately prolong the transition process. Professionals who chose to invest in a Career and Life Coach whose expertise and reputation aligns with their needs consistently share the positive impact Coaching has to their careers and lives. The investment in coaching helps professionals:
Establish and take action towards achieving goals
Become more self-reliant and confident
Gain more job and life satisfaction
Contribute more effectively to their teams and organizations
Take greater responsibility and accountability for actions and commitments
Work more easily and productively with others (boss, direct reports, peers)
Communicate more effectively
Find more fulfillment in work and life
Tip 4: Try These Helpful Life Transition Coping Methods
Identify, express, and acknowledge the emotions that arise during the transition
Write out your thoughts and feelings
Reflect on what you're grateful for
Consider what opportunities the transition is creating
Transform your perspective by reframing the situation
Choose how to react and adjust as needed
Create small actionable steps to keep moving forward
Take time for self-care: sleep, meditate, relax, exercise
Ask for support from professionals, friends, and family who provide encouragement and strength
Tip 5: Choose a Life Coach That's Right for Your Situation
It's important to find a Coach that will support your unique needs. Coaching is an important relationship, so look for a personal connection between you and the Coach you choose. Talk with the Coach(es) you have interest in hiring to make sure they align with your desired outcomes, goals, and objectives. Ask about their education, training, experience, and the length and frequency of the Coaching Sessions. If you're considering a Career or Life Change, One True You, LLC offers complimentary Clarity Calls to share your challenges and get acquainted. Learn More
About the Author:

Deborah Petropoulos is a Life Transition Coach who brings a wealth of professional experience to her Coaching Sessions. Deborah specializes in Career Coaching, Executive Coaching, and Life Coaching. Deborah has more than three decades of Corporate leadership and management experience in Global Pharmaceuticals where she led, mentored, and developed high-performing teams and individuals at Abbott and AbbVie. As the Founder and CEO of One True You, LLC Deborah is well-known for inspiring successful outcomes and creating transformative results for her clients through personal one-on-one Coaching. Deborah Petropoulos is a Chicago North Shore native and provides virtual Coaching Services for professionals experiencing career and life transition throughout the greater Chicago area including Lake County, Cook, and DuPage communities as well as the near north Wisconsin counties of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee. Deborah is an International Coaching Federation Member with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, and professional ICF-accredited coaching training with the Co-Active (Coaches) Training Institute. Deborah enjoys time spent with her family and three granddaughters (including twins), traveling, and volunteering with Ronald McDonald House Charities for Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.