Being Thankful … for Change!
It’s the time of year when many of us turn to thoughts of being thankful – for our friends, our families, the bounty of our harvests. We celebrate with the feast of Thanksgiving and we turn our eyes toward the lights of the holidays. For many, it’s a happy season, and some would argue that we all have something to be thankful for, even our lives are struggling with overwhelming change.
2020 has been a year of overwhelming change. The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down, and many of us are dealing with change that we never saw coming. If you find yourself struggling with shifts in life this year, remember that your perspective makes a difference. Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Does your cloud have a silver lining? Did another door open when one door closed? Can you grab the bull by the horns and steer or will you let it throw you? Regardless of your preferred idiom, know this: taking control of change is important. As Napoleon Hill said, “Your big opportunity may be right where you are now.”
So how can you manage change in your life?
Acknowledge the Negative, but Stay Positive: It’s easy to say and hard to do, but staying positive makes a big difference. Losing a loved one or finding yourself without a job can prompt significant pain, stress and worry. While it’s important to acknowledge those feelings, it is equally important to take steps to maintain a healthy, positive outlook. Negative emotions are like quicksand; don’t get sucked in. When I lost my job unexpectedly after 19+ years with the same organization, I celebrated having uninterrupted time to finish my coaching certification instead of dwelling on the more negative aspects of income loss, the impending job hunt, etc.
Take Time for Self-Care: Part of managing a healthy outlook is taking care of yourself. Pause in the moment and listen to your body and your mind and do something that healthy and constructive. Perhaps there’s a book you’ve been wanting to read, a hobby you’ve wanted to make time for, a trip you’ve wanted to take. Maybe you just need a relaxing bubble bath. Trust your intuition and ask yourself this question: What do YOU want?
Create a Plan and Put it in Motion: It’s hard to map the unknown, so focus on mapping what you DO know. What do you need to do to overcome the change? Make a list of personal goals that will move you forward. (Not sure about goals? Read this related post.) You need to own it. If you find yourself with a new boss, what are you going to do to make that relationship work? If you’re out of work, what steps do you need to take to find a new one? Even the smallest changes need some kind of plan – take time to make one!
Get Support from your Network: The people around us are important agents to help us navigate change in our lives. Family, friends, professional networks and coaches give you a sounding board for ideas and a source of support. They are the scaffolding you need to build your new normal! Use them wisely, though: let them know what you need, not the opposite. Stick with people who build you up, not the ones who tear you down.
Find Your Future: Change comes in all shapes and sizes. In some cases, change is a simple traffic detour off the main route that slows us up temporarily but doesn’t impact our destination, but other changes can prompt us to question changes in whether we’re on the right path.
Napoleon Hill put it well with the quote, “Your big opportunity may be right where you are now,” and Bob Marley coined this gem: “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”