Change…
Do you love it or hate it? Well, it all depends on the direction of that change, doesn’t it? If it’s in the direction you want, you love it. If it’s in the direction you don’t want, that can be tough. And sometimes, really tough.
Some people cry after a divorce (and before!) and some people celebrate. It all depends on what they wanted. What do you do if you are facing the kind of change you wouldn’t have asked for?
Here is what I tell my clients and what I do my best to do for myself:
1) Be honest with yourself about what you are thinking and feeling right now. No need to pretend you welcome something, when in fact, you don’t.
2) Give yourself some time to adjust. How much time? Enough to process what you are thinking and feeling, knowing you are not going to stay there forever.
3) Identify positive outcomes the change can bring about. There is always something potentially good about change, such as insight and self-growth. Knowing how the change can benefit you helps you do the work required to accept and even embrace the change.
4) Develop (and implement) a plan for getting the most out of the change.
5) Get support. Forget about trying to be superman or superwoman. Give yourself permission to be human. That means giving yourself permission to lean on others.
6) Reward yourself and celebrate. What you reward tends to be repeated. So reward yourself for responding proactively to change instead of reacting to it out of fear.
What do you think? Why not add your own thoughts to how to deal effectively with change or share a time when you did so? I appreciate your comments!
Categorized in: Life, Mastering Stress & Overwhelm
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