Why transitions are hard

"Leaving is the hardest thing to do, but being left is harder, yes it's true" from To Ü - Scrillex and Diplo ft. AlunaGeorge

Transitions are tough. Whether it be changing schools, jobs, relationships, cities, or countries. Part of the difficulty is that no change happens in isolation. For example, moving to a new city could also  mean changing jobs and leaving old relationships behind. With every transition there is excitement and the opportunity to meet new people and learn new things. While I am a big fan of being pushed outside of my comfort zone, transitions have always been difficult. I imagine that they are difficult for almost everyone, especially the many people who did not make their transitions by choice.

Personally, I have been fortunate enough to have only had to make moves as a result of favourable circumstances (changing schools, moving to a new country for graduate work, and moving to a new city for a job).  With this in mind, the number one thing that makes transitions hard is facing the after-effects of the change. Moving on requires us to acknowledge that things won't be as we left them. The people, the places, the relationships, almost everything we know and love will change. We will change too. When something is changing with you, you hardly notice, because these changes happen gradually. However the before and after type realizations that you see when you are away for a while  can be shocking.  For me, this is the thing I find most difficult about transitions. That is, knowing that what/who I left will definitely change. Oddly, it is also the thing that makes these transitions so cool.  I can't wait to see how things will be different.