At some point, it's time to jump.

The most afraid I’ve ever been was when I bungee jumped in New Zealand.

Off a 141-foot bridge.

Over a rushing river.

While the bystanders playfully yelled “Three…Two… One.”, I waved at the video camera as if I was having a great time. In reality, my heart was racing and I considered climbing back down to safety. Hurling oneself off a bridge is not normal.?Logically I knew I was safe and tied in to a secure system, but it felt super risky. ?Anticipating those few seconds of flying felt life threatening. ?Once dipping into the river water, there was a staff person to help me land softly into a floating raft. The landing was exhilarating.

Change can be like that. We love the idea of a safe landing into something new and exciting. The stretch goal. The new job. An amazing relationship. But letting go to get from here to there can feel too daunting.

In his classic book “Transitions”, William Bridges explains his concept of the “neutral zone”. While we tend to think that we go directly from endings to beginnings, more often there is the untethered space of the unknown.?In this neutral zone, we feel detached from our past and unsure about what we’ll move to in the future. ?It is an important pause.?A time out of sorts. It’s like those moments after flying off the bridge through the air mostly trusting there will be a landing but at the same time fearing that there won’t be.

?It’s a big factor in why so many people avoid change. They fear they won’t ever come out of the neutral zone. What if I end this relationship and there isn’t anyone else out there for me? What if I quit this job and the new position doesn’t pan out? Maybe my current situation is as good as it gets and I should be more grateful instead of making a change.

Change often requires us to fling ourselves into the unknown. ?We can do our homework, plan a support system and check all our safety measures. But, at some point, it’s time to jump. ?It’s the surest route to get to the next best thing.