Tips For Working Through a Faith Transition
Faith is a fluid concept. It changes. It ebbs and flows with your life and environment. For some the term ‘faith crisis” will feel very fitting while for others, “faith transition” feels more accurate. (I am raising my hand on this one).
A transition doesn’t necessarily mean totally rejecting your religion. It is accepting that you can be flexible as new knowledge is presented. Our rigidity in clinging to our old beliefs despite new information being presented can cause a ton of distress and can lead to mental health struggles. (we call this cognitive dissonance) It can mean uncertainty, confusion, identity crisis, relationship tension, insecurity as your faith is shifting.
Faith transitions are f-ing hard! It requires tuning into your self rather that outward to the many loud voices with opinions. It requires emotional strength to withstand judgments from those who may not understand where you are at personally.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO NAVIGATE A FAITH TRANSITION
TAKE YOUR TIME. It’s sooo human to want to rush through things that are uncomfy. Your faith transition is a process. It can take days, months, weeks, or years for this shift to feel authentic to you. Please be patient with yourself as you find what feels right and true to you again.
SOCIAL SUPPORT. Look for groups or individuals that are unbiased, who will listen, validate, and support you. There are also lots of blogs, webinars, and social media accounts that have good resources. Support groups have shown to be the most helpful thing in helping people go through a faith transition. You aren’t alone in the thoughts and feelings you’re having.
UTILIZE THERAPY OR COUNSELING. Therapy can help when it comes to any big life changes, but especially with faith transitions. Find a therapist that is familiar with religious trauma and can help you navigate communication with believers, setting boundaries, cognitive dissonance, relationships, and just feeling all the things that come with a big adjustment like this.
HAVE HOPE. Remember, there is a full and beautiful life waiting for you on the other side of your faith journey. No matter where you end up on the faith scale, there is hope. Hope to live a life free of shame and guilt. Hope to feel at home with yourself and able to trust your intuition again.
Honor and validate your feelings throughout your faith transition. Utilizing these these tips can help provide clarity as you travel this new path. You are resilient! You will adjust and you will find your footing.
Learn more about faith transitions and find help here.