A review by mhewza
Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes by William Bridges
2.0
There are useful nuggets in this, but this book seemed to be quite heavily targeted at those who are going through the retirement or unemployment process. A lot of the explanations hinge on analysis of Greek mythology - Odysseus, Oedipus, Psyche - which makes it feel a bit like a student’s essay rather than an authoritative text.
The most insightful section focused on the ‘neutral zone’ - the period between an end and adjusting to a new beginning - and the advice for coping with the neutral zone (if you’re lucky enough to have one; again, it seems to apply more to retirement or unemployment).
To give a flavour of the language of this book, before reaching the neutral zone, the following steps will take place: disengagement, dismantling, disidentification, disenchantment and disorientation. After which, there’s a new beginning.
I’d recommend reading the first chapter and the last chapter and skipping the middle.
The most insightful section focused on the ‘neutral zone’ - the period between an end and adjusting to a new beginning - and the advice for coping with the neutral zone (if you’re lucky enough to have one; again, it seems to apply more to retirement or unemployment).
To give a flavour of the language of this book, before reaching the neutral zone, the following steps will take place: disengagement, dismantling, disidentification, disenchantment and disorientation. After which, there’s a new beginning.
I’d recommend reading the first chapter and the last chapter and skipping the middle.