You’re Not Behind. You’re Just in a Pivot Season.
You look around and it seems like everyone else has a plan. They’re climbing ladders, running marathons, launching second careers. Meanwhile, you’re staring down a calendar that finally has some breathing room—and wondering, Now what?
Maybe your kids are growing up and don’t need you in the same way. Maybe your career path that once felt secure now feels stale. Maybe you’ve outgrown the life you worked so hard to build, and that’s a scary thing to admit.
Here’s what I want you to know: You’re not behind. You’re just in a pivot season.
And that season? It matters more than you think.
What Is a Pivot Season, Really?
A pivot season is the space between chapters. You’re not where you were, but not quite where you’re going either. It’s messy, stretchy, and often full of discomfort. But it’s also where the real work of transformation happens.
This is the season where you ask questions like:
Who am I now that I’m not needed in the same ways?
What do I want next—if it’s allowed to be about me?
Why doesn’t my old rhythm fit anymore, even if nothing’s “wrong”?
These questions aren’t signs of crisis. They’re signs of growth.
Why You Feel Like You’re Falling Behind
Let’s be honest: our culture loves a good timeline. Graduate by this age. Hit your career stride by that one. Know exactly what you’re doing at all times, or risk being labeled as lost, flaky, or unmotivated.
But here’s the truth: linear progress is a myth. Life isn’t a straight ladder—it’s a spiral staircase with detours, dips, and turning points.
According to research from the Harvard Business Review, people who frame career and life transitions as expansive opportunities—rather than disruptive interruptions—report higher life satisfaction and better long-term outcomes.
In other words, your pivot isn’t a pause. It’s a portal.
The Problem with "I Should Be Further Along"
When you believe you’re behind, your brain goes into survival mode. You grasp for plans. You try to replicate someone else’s path. You pile on productivity to quiet the panic.
But moving faster won’t solve the deeper question. Pivot seasons don’t need speed. They need space. They need clarity. They need courage.
You’re not lazy for needing a moment to recalibrate. You’re human. And honestly? You might be more aligned than ever—you just haven’t caught up to your own insight yet.
What Life Coaching Offers During a Pivot
A pivot season is the perfect time for coaching—not because you need fixing, but because you need focus.
Life Coaching helps you:
Name what’s no longer working (without judgment)
Reconnect with your values after years of running on autopilot
Make decisions from clarity, not guilt or comparison
Build new rhythms that feel aligned—not just responsible
Trust your inner voice again
We don't rush this process. We root in it. Together, we create space for the version of you that’s been quietly asking for a turn.
What This Season Might Be Teaching You
If you're feeling lost, you're not broken. You’re in the exact place where your next version begins to take shape. It doesn’t happen all at once. But it does happen.
Pivot seasons often bring up old stories:
I’m too late.
I should’ve figured this out by now.
Other people have it more together.
Let me gently remind you: those stories aren’t truth. They’re inherited scripts. And life coaching helps you rewrite them with compassion and curiosity.
This Isn’t About Burning It All Down
Sometimes a pivot means a bold change—a career shift, a move, a new rhythm for your life. But more often, it starts smaller than that.
It starts with a pause.
It starts with listening to your body when it says I’m tired.
It starts with saying I don’t know yet, and letting that be enough for now.
It starts with believing that your clarity is worth waiting for.
You’re Not Behind. You’re Becoming.
The truth is, you’ve already started. The second you noticed that something needed to shift, you were in motion. You’re just in the quiet part—the root-growing, story-rewriting, identity-reforming part.
And this part is just as sacred as the big breakthroughs. Maybe even more.
Not Sure What’s Next? Let’s Figure It Out Together.
If you’re in a season of shifting, questioning, or reimagining—life coaching can help you navigate it with clarity and courage.
Explore coaching for women in transition:
https://www.eileenlifecoaching.com/women-in-transition
Or book a free consultation here!
Sources & Further Reading
Harvard Business Review: Why Leaving Your Comfort Zone Is So Hard—And How to Make It Easier
https://hbr.org/2020/11/research-why-leaving-your-comfort-zone-is-so-hardBrené Brown: The Midlife Unraveling
https://brenebrown.com/articles/2018/05/24/the-midlife-unraveling/Institute of Coaching: Coaching in Life Transitions
https://instituteofcoaching.org/coaching-overview
