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185. How to Navigate Life Transitions Without Anxiety | 5 Min Journal Prompts
Episode 1859th October 2025 • Journal Entries • Samantha Hawley | Inspired by Brene Brown, Glennon Doyle, Marie Forleo, Hillary Kerr, Mel Robbins
00:00:00 00:10:03

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You know that thing where you're about to go through a big change and suddenly you're up at 2am planning for every possible scenario?

I made THREE different Google Docs for my son's school transition. Three. Each one mapped out a different morning routine depending on what time he woke up. I was literally scheduling my coffee time down to the minute.

Looking back? That wasn't planning. That was me trying to control something I couldn't control because I was scared.

You'll journal through:

  • What's actually keeping you up at night about this transition (hint: it's probably not what you think)
  • The sneaky ways you're trying to make change feel "safer"
  • What you're most afraid would happen if you just... let it unfold
  • Your personal pattern when things feel uncertain

Plus: The reframe that changed everything - what if your discomfort isn't a problem to fix but information about what you actually need right now?

Journaling Prompts from this episode:

  1. What specific part of this transition is making you feel the most anxious or unsettled right now? (Go deeper than "change is hard")
  2. What have you been doing to try to make this transition feel easier or less overwhelming?
  3. What are you most afraid would happen if you stopped trying to control how this transition goes?
  4. When was the last time you went through a major change in your life? How did you handle it? What patterns are showing up again now?

Resources Mentioned:

Calm Mind Blueprint - my framework for processing emotions and making decisions with clarity: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/calm-mind-pod

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