Sometimes I feel like life-changing experiences are not something to be ready for.

Because then, if you were, they couldn't really be that life-changing, now could they?
That's like getting ready during a flash flood warning.
You can pack your things, lock the doors, and adorn yourself with rainboots. But, will you ever realllllly be ready for a flood to come?
After the fact, its traces are everywhere. You can see the change.
But before and during,
all you can really do is float along.