In an ideal world, we would respond consciously to changes that affect our lives, relationships, and sense of self. However, because change involves a certain level of uncertainty, it instead tends to lead to knee-jerk reactions, rather than thoughtful responses.

If you want to thrive throughout your transition and in life, you need to stop reacting out of fear and avoidance – and start responding in ways that are in alignment with the goals you have for yourself. Here’s how:

How we do anything is how we do everything.

If you avoid, ignore, disrespect, and demean the real you, it impacts far more than your self-esteem (though it’s not great for that either). It creates an unfulfilled life of shame and exhaustion that affects everything – including your career, sense of self, and relationships. With that said, here are the three key ways avoiding the real you is currently impacting your life: