Personal development through transitions
- Melanie Schneider
- Jun 11
- 4 min read
Personal development often enters the conversation when life becomes too loud, too uncertain, or simply too heavy. It’s not something many of us are taught to prioritize until we’re forced to by change, crisis, or emotional fatigue. Whether it’s the grief of losing a loved one or the more subtle, often overlooked grief of relocation, identity shift, or cultural transition, these moments serve as catalysts for deeper personal work.
As a transformative grief coach, I’ve witnessed firsthand how individuals evolve when they recognize these hidden layers of grief—not just death-related, but the nuanced grief that comes with expat transitions, team restructuring, or career uprooting. In every one of these, personal development isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.
How do you know it’s time to focus on personal development?
You might not always recognize it right away, but your body and emotions will often tell you when something’s off. Here are a few common signs that personal development work might be calling you:
You feel stuck or stagnant, despite outer success or progress.
You’re frequently overwhelmed, anxious, or burned out, especially during or after a major life change like a relocation.
You’re questioning your identity—who you are, what you value, or where you belong.
Your relationships feel strained or out of sync, particularly in multicultural or evolving team environments.
You’re grieving—but not in the way people expect. You may miss a home you left behind, a language, a professional identity, or a sense of familiarity.
These are not weaknesses—they are thresholds. Personal development allows you to move through these thresholds consciously rather than reactively.
What can you do to personally develop yourself?
Personal development isn’t one-size-fits-all. It's deeply personal and needs to honor your context—emotional, cultural, professional, and spiritual. Here are some avenues to explore:
1. Self-reflection practices
Start with journaling, meditation, or expressive writing. Ask yourself:
What am I grieving that I haven’t acknowledged?
What parts of myself feel disconnected?
Where am I resisting growth because it feels too uncertain?
2. Coaching or Therapy
Engage with a coach or therapist who can hold space for your transition—not just to “fix” things, but to reflect, reframe, and reimagine your path forward. A transformative grief coach like myself focuses on:
Navigating ambiguous or non-death grief
Supporting intercultural transitions and identity shifts
Managing relocation burnout and emotional fatigue
3. Set Micro-Intentions
Big changes feel overwhelming. Small, daily intentions ground you. For example:
“Today I will speak kindly to myself.”
“This week, I’ll reconnect with one person from my ‘old life’ to honor that part of my story.”
4. Learning and Re-skilling
Personal development can also mean evolving your knowledge or perspective. Online courses, intercultural training, or mindfulness programs can enrich your emotional and intellectual resilience.
What tools, support, and techniques are available?
You don’t have to walk the path alone. A range of tools exist to help:
Coaching Programs
Look for coaches (like myself) trained in grief-informed, trauma-sensitive, or intercultural frameworks. These go beyond surface-level strategies and help you untangle deeper emotional layers.
Explore BETTER MIND YOU – A Female-Centric Empowerment Platform
One transformative resource I highly recommend is BETTER MIND YOU, the world’s first female-centric empowerment and transformation platform. It’s designed specifically to give you the tools you need to unlock your full potential—both personally and professionally.
“Better.Mind.You. is the world’s first female-centric empowerment and transformation platform, offering you exactly the tools you need to unlock your full potential. Here, you’ll learn how to gain clarity, activate your inner strength, and live your best life – both at work and in your personal life.”
This platform aligns beautifully with the work I do as a transformative grief coach. Whether you're managing expat grief, burnout, or major life transitions, BETTER MIND YOU offers practical programs, guided exercises, and a supportive community—all created to meet you where you are and help you grow from there.
Mind-Body Practices
Yoga, somatic movement, and breathwork can help regulate your nervous system—especially when grief or burnout manifests physically.
Books & Resources
Some excellent reads include:
Peer Communities
Seek out local or virtual support circles for expats, international professionals, or those experiencing career transitions. Shared narratives build resilience.
Rituals of Transition
Even small rituals—lighting a candle at the end of each day, saying goodbye to an old home, welcoming yourself to a new space—create emotional structure around transition.
Personal development is an act of self-compassion
Whether you’re grieving a person, a place, or a former identity, you’re in a transformation. And like all transformations, it’s not about “getting back to normal”—it’s about building a new foundation that includes what you’ve lost, what you’ve learned, and who you’re becoming.
If you're navigating a major change—be it across continents or across identities—this is your invitation to pause, to notice, and to engage intentionally with your growth. Personal development isn't a luxury; it’s a necessity for those of us walking the often-invisible path of transformation.
Let’s walk it together.
Interested in grief-informed coaching through transition, burnout, or cultural change? Reach out for a discovery session—I’d be honored to support your journey.
Join us live: Why grief is a part of personal development
I'm excited to share that I’ll be going live on Instagram with Swantje, the founder of BETTER MIND YOU, on Sunday, 15th of June at 18:30 PM (CET).
Together, we’ll explore a deeply important topic:“Why Grief Is a Part of Personal Development.” (The talk will be in german)
Whether it’s the grief of losing a loved one, leaving a country, changing careers, or simply saying goodbye to an old version of yourself—grief plays a profound role in shaping who we become. This live conversation will offer insight, connection, and tools to support your own growth through grief.
Follow us on Instagram and join the conversation!
Yours, Melanie
