One of my favorite condensations of basic story structure goes like this: 1. Something happens. 2. Things get worse. 3. Pay the price.

"Something happens" is the inciting incident, the change in circumstance that destabilizes the character's life. "Things get worse" as the character tries in various ways to fix what has been broken.

But in the end, the character must "pay the price" by accepting that it is himself or herself that must become in some way new, and accept the pain that will accompany such change.

The rare degree of self-awareness you have achieved may not make the changes any easier, but I do believe you will be better prepared for them than most of us.