When Life Pushes You Into a New Chapter Unexpectedly

“Change doesn’t always ask for your permission — but it still requires your strength.”

There are moments in life when change arrives quietly…and others when it feels like it barges in without warning.

You didn’t plan it.

You didn’t prepare for it.

You certainly didn’t choose it.

And yet, here you are — standing in a new chapter you didn’t see coming.

This time of the year, has a way of heightening those feelings. As one season draws to a close and another approaches, many of us are already carrying reflection, fatigue, hope, and unanswered questions. When unexpected change is added into that mix, it can feel unsettling — even disorienting.

I was reminded of this recently while reading Who Moved My Cheese? — a simple story, but one with a powerful truth beneath it.

At its heart, it speaks to what happens when what we relied on suddenly changes… and how different people respond when familiarity disappears.

Because often, the hardest part of change isn’t the new thing itself —or because change is bad —but because it asks us to let go of what once felt known and safe.

Sometimes change isn’t a loss at all.

It’s a prompt.

An invitation to move differently, think bigger, or step into something we may not have considered if life had stayed comfortable.

Most of us don’t struggle with change because we’re weak.

We struggle because change unsettles our sense of stability — how things work, who we are, and what we expected life to look like.

It might look like:

• a role ending before you felt ready

• a career shift you didn’t initiate

• a relationship dynamic changing

• a loss that reshapes your plans

• a season closing sooner than expected

  
  

And in those moments, it’s natural to want answers first… reassurance… certainty.

But resilience is rarely built when everything feels certain.

It’s often shaped in the waiting, the adjusting, and the not-knowing.

What I’ve learned — both personally and through walking alongside others — is that resilience doesn’t stand alone. It walks closely with courage.

Courage is what allows you to face change instead of avoiding it. Resilience is what helps you stay steady while you do.

Together, they turn change into a bridge — not a breakdown.

In Who Moved My Cheese, the shift happens when the focus moves from why did this change? to what now?

Not because the discomfort disappears — but because you begin to realise you still have a choice.

When life pushes you into a new chapter unexpectedly, resilience often looks less like confidence and more like curiosity.

It sounds like:

• What is this season asking of me?

• What might I need to release?

• What strength is being developed in me now?

You may not have chosen this change — but you still get to choose how you meet it.

Some changes don’t arrive to disrupt you. They arrive to elevate you.

What feels unsettling now may be the very thing creating space for greater clarity, deeper growth, or a higher level of impact than before. The discomfort isn’t a sign you’re failing — it may be a sign you’re stretching.

And while that doesn’t make change easy, it does mean the season is not empty.

Something is forming — not despite the change, but because of it.

If you’re feeling unsettled right now, here’s something worth holding onto:

You don’t need the full picture to move forward.

You don’t need perfect clarity to take the next step

.And you don’t need to rush resilience.

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stay open — open to learning, adjusting, and trusting yourself as you move into what’s new.

Reflection Question

What unexpected change are you currently navigating — and what might this season be strengthening in you?

Prayer

“My Lord God, help me remain steady when life shifts unexpectedly. Give me courage to move forward, resilience to adapt, and trust to believe that this change is shaping me for what’s ahead.”

Confidence Mantra

I meet change with courage, and I grow stronger as I adapt.

If you’re navigating uncertainty, transition, or a season you didn’t plan for, you don’t have to carry it alone.

Through my RISE coaching approach, I support people to build resilience, regain clarity, and move forward with confidence — even when life feels unpredictable.

➡️ Connect with me — let’s walk through this season together.

I. Arise & Shine | iarisenshine.com

Coaching for Identity • Purpose • Resilience • Confidence