I remember many years ago sitting in an auditorium listening to the CIO of the day who was talking about change. He started his talk by asking us to change one thing about ourselves as we were sitting listening to him. ‘That’s easy’, I thought. I’ll take off my watch. Then he asked us to change another thing about us, and I took off my shoes. On his third request I was a bit stumped, but I had long hair in those days, so I undid it. By the third request, people were starting to laugh nervously as they were running out of changes they were prepared to make in the auditorium. They were starting to feel the strangeness of all these changes that were asked of them in such a short period of time, approximately 10 minutes. It was a great illustration on how moving through too much change too quickly can feel.
Nearly everyone experiences change in their personal and professional lives. However, it can be difficult to handle when the change is sudden and at a pace you haven’t prepared for.
Change can also be difficult when there are new people in your life, or you have to move away from friends and family. These types of changes are normal, but they can be challenging if you don’t know what to expect or how to respond.
Change presents an opportunity for growth if you embrace it with open arms and minds. When change comes as a result of external factors like relocation or job change, it may take some time to accept the need for change and it could be more challenging to adapt. Not because you don’t want to but more because you have less control over the circumstances.
In order to stay resilient through transition and find ways to thrive in new situations, here are some strategies to help you prepare and adapt when change is needed.
4 Strategies to prepare and adapt to change
1. Focus on your values and goals
When faced with change, it’s important to stay focused on your values and work toward what’s most important to you. While how you achieve your goal may look different, you can still hold on to your values and goals. By approaching change this way, you may even achieve a better goal for yourself. You can also try using a mantra or a prayer to help you adjust to these changes in your life.
2. Navigate unfamiliar situations
One strategy for preparing to adapt to change is finding ways to put yourself in unfamiliar situations. Also known as ‘white-knuckle riding’ or ‘holding on to the seat of your pants’, both of these terms mean going through the process of navigating the change as best you can and then returning to the familiar setting and reflecting on what your learned from the experience. This helps you to develop a preferred strategy for how to handle new situations better. It also gives you practice before trying something new that may be even more challenging.
3. Mindfulness meditation
Another way of adapting to change is practicing mindfulness meditation. Focusing on your breath, observing your thoughts, and staying grounded with your body are all mindfulness activities that can help during transitions and other times of stress and uncertainty. In fact, a regular practice will help you cope with even more uncertainty when your new challenging situation arises.
4. Self-care
Finally, making time for self-care in your regular routine will help you during these transitions and it can even provide some respite from the changes happening in your life even if they are difficult ones. Spending time with friends and family who care about you will make it easier for you to endure these changes too because they will help keep things steady in tough moments.
The concept of reinventing yourself has become increasingly necessary and popular in recent years, but it can be difficult to know where to start. Navigating change is an essential part of the process and requires careful thought and consideration. Before embarking on a change plan, it is important to check you have the right mindset to support you through your reinvention journey.
Mindset shifts you need for navigating change
1. Stay positive and open-minded
One key strategy for coping with unfamiliarity is to remain positive and open-minded. This means staying optimistic about what lies ahead and looking for the silver lining in every situation. Even if it doesn’t feel like it at first, accepting change can often lead to opportunities that you wouldn’t have had otherwise. Additionally, approaching change with curiosity rather than fear will give you the courage and creativity necessary for successfully adapting to whatever comes your way.
It’s difficult to know what type of change is going to happen, so it’s important to prepare yourself for anything. If you’re looking for a new job, it’s best not to focus on the specifics of a new job. Instead, think about what skills you have and what skills your potential employer may be looking for, and then tailor the experience in order to meet those needs.
2. Adopt a broad perspective
A broader perspective can help you tackle this type of change with more ease. Often the best way to successfully navigate change is by reinventing yourself and finding who you want to be in the new world, recognising it may take a bit of time. If need be, you can take on a new hobby or volunteering experience to help you feel challenged and provide you with a sense of growth when things get tough.
Below, I’ll explore the 4 steps for making changes that can help you on your reinvention journey.
4 Steps to navigating change
1. Identify areas needing change
Change is a part of life. It can be difficult when it occurs without warning, but if you consciously come to terms with possible change and prepare for what may come, it will be easier to navigate the challenging times.
First, it’s important to reflect on who you are now and consider what changes might be beneficial for you and your quality of life. Do some research into the areas in which you want to make a change, whether this is related to career, health or relationships. This will give you a starting point from which you can begin planning how best to move forward with your new direction.
If you’d like a complete make-over, consider which area is easiest for you to tackle first. That will give you confidence for the other areas that may not be as easy. Often, changes in one area flows into the other areas, so you haven’t lost anything by focusing on a particular area.
Once you have identified areas in need of transformation, set realistic goals for yourself that are achievable over a given timeframe.
With the right approach and skills, identifying areas that need changing can be an enlightening experience for personal growth. It starts with an honest assessment of yourself and determining what changes need to be made in order for you to reach your goals. If that sounds daunting, you could always ask someone who knows you well, that you trust and respect, or a professional with the right experience.
Whether you are looking to revamp your career or just make life more enjoyable, there are steps you can take today to assess where improvements should be made. Start by taking a look at all aspects of your life focusing on one area at a time.
Taking stock of any challenges that may currently exist in each area and determine what it would take to overcome them. At the same time identify areas that need improvement. Once you have identified which areas need change, draw up a plan for how you would go about making those changes happen step-by-step.
Change can be overwhelming because you may not know what areas of your life need to change. If you are struggling with relationships, ask yourself what you need to change in order to start getting a different response. Take a moment, give yourself some space and identify the changes you’re struggling with.
2. Develop a plan for change
If you’re looking to adapt to a change in your life, it’s important that you have a plan. Coming up with the plan will help you not only mentally prepare for the change but also come up with ways to thrive as you implement your plan and arrive in your new situation. When you develop a plan, it will help you identify how much time and energy you can devote to the change, which will also provide you with a realistic timeframe.
If you decide that your whole schedule needs to revolve around one particular project, it will allow you to manage your expectations and make adjustments accordingly so that things are manageable for yourself and others.
It is also helpful if there is a designated person who knows about your proposed change ahead of time. This person could be someone close to you or an external resource like your business coach or therapist. The point is, having someone who is aware of what’s going on and has been through some similar changes before will help them guide you through the process of adapting to your change.
3. Taking action on your plan
One of the best ways to adapt to change is to take action on your plan. It’s not enough for us to just dream about how we want our lives to be. We have to make it happen.
When you take action, you are more likely to reach your desired results. When you put in the work, you will feel empowered and will be less likely to revert back into old habits that no longer serve you well.
You should also consider talking with friends and family members who may have a different perspective than yours on what makes sense for your situation or life circumstances. They may be able to provide some useful insight that is unique and important for you to consider so you can tailor your plan accordingly.
4. Resources to help you navigate change
Gather resources that will help you navigate your proposed change. Ask your friends, family or trusted colleagues what they have done to help themselves through transitions.
Take online courses or classes in order to learn more about the new changes you’re facing. Read articles that provide insight into how people have dealt with similar situations in their lives.
Consider joining a support group on social media like Facebook where you can post updates and ask questions to find other people struggling with the same or similar situations as you.
In conclusion, making changes is never easy. It can be scary, uncomfortable and at times, overwhelming. But there are some very important reasons for making changes that are worth the discomfort. In order to make changes you have to first accept that change is inevitable and then develop a plan to navigate the unfamiliar.
If you are considering making changes in your life and you need someone to help you navigate them, book in a confidential call with me and we can explore how you can best navigate your upcoming changes.
Related Posts:
Reclaim your life: The benefits of reinventing yourself
Financial stress can be a powerful motivator for reinvention
The Bright side: Transformation through optimism
