A Change is Gonna Come
Embracing change is my superpower. Some people are great singers, some people can iron well, others can style hair, but me, I am great at navigating change and challenges. I suck at singing, ironing, styling hair, applying make-up, writing legibly, and a host of other things. Don’t feel bad for me, I am amazing at dancing on tables. Anyhow.
I learned early in life that change is constant, so I figured out how not only to navigate and expect change, but to embrace change like an old friend. Change is the most constant and consistent thing in life. It is always there. It never fails to show up. Change has all the signs of a best friend. Embrace it. Embrace change.
To embrace and expect change. I do not view “change” as “bad.” Change is an inevitable part of life. Instead of fearing change, I prepare for change. I hope for change. I have faith in what change may bring. In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “[t]he greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” One must change their attitude about change itself. With change as an expectation, along with hope and faith– there are endless opportunities. With opportunities anything is possible.
Preparing for change, expecting change, and overcoming the initial challenges of change are practices that anyone can master. Here are three quick tips to mastering change and initial challenges:
1. Knowledge is Power: I have a practice of always researching and understanding impacts and challenges of possible situations. Knowledge removes some of the unknown. It is the unknown that may make change intimidating – not knowing how to overcome the related challenges, not knowing what the change means, and not knowing how to confront it. The more you can remove the unknown, the better the acceptance and preparedness for change and challenges. For example, whether an expected or unexpected change - I take time to research what that change means and how it will impact me. This is applicable when there is a change in a provider for the care of my medically fragile child or simply an organizational change at work. When my family was airlifted by medical jet to Seattle, we were approved to leave on Friday and left Monday – no time to pack, job hunt or anything. It was not an easy transition. Instead of freaking out, I began researching the things my family would need to get settled – including looking at jobs, living arrangements, and schools. Soon enough, Seattle became a familiar place instead of an unknown black hole.
2. Enable Change: Instead of waiting for change to come to you. Be proactive and go after your preferred path in life. Remember a change is always lurking in the background - the writing is always on the wall. Change is constant. I recall watching people at the law firm I was employed at increasingly become more unhappy. There was no doubt that no one could sustain the rhythm of business and work habits. There were many murmurs, change was on the horizon. My options: (1) stay, wait, and see how the looming change would impact me or (2) start deciding, planning, and taking action. I chose the latter. To stay, wait and let something happen to you may be easier in the short term. But allowing an external force to chart your life is not easier in the long run. I understand that taking action may be scary and it may not be the easiest option. But, nothing worth having is ever easy. Not without many rejections, I found another role. A role with a comfortable work environment, shorter commute, and more money. Bingo! Meanwhile, back at the old place, a month after I left, the place imploded. The point – change is constant and 75% of the time, change is predictable. Follow your gut and read the writing on the wall.
3. Mindset: I accept that change is going to occur. Therefore, I welcome it and make a choice to think about it in a positive light. Instead of dreading it, I get excited about the new opportunities that will come along with it. Let’s return to my family’s move to Seattle. When I was informed on Friday, that we were being airlifted on Monday to a new city across the country, I could have easily freaked out. I had no job, I had no housing, I had absolutely no plan, and I had all types of challenges to sort through. But I did have a good hospital for our child’s care. I focused on the gratefulness I felt to be able to have my son cared for at the hospital. The other items were out of my control, including my son’s health. Even though I had no idea how long we would remain in the hospital or what the prognosis for my son would be, embracing the opportunity to receive care at an amazing world-renowned hospital was more than enough to spark joy and acceptance of the change. Instead of losing all my marbles, I embraced the change and turned the challenges into opportunities. I would get a chance to build a new life. I focused on all the good opportunities and activities in the city. Sure, it was difficult, but I chose to have a good perspective. Owning the mind is half the battle. Typically, mindset is a choice. Not a one-time choice, but a daily, hourly, and oftentimes moment by moment choice. This is useful even in less dramatic situations. We have all had an expected event or an opportunity that does not come into fruition. We all have been thrown that curve ball that changes the course of your life in an unexpected way. Fix that mindset and start thinking about all the new opportunities in your grasp. Most importantly, get back to being authentically you and living your life!
I hope these tips help you embrace change and the unlimited opportunities and fresh slate that comes with change. Change and those initial challenges do not have to be scary.
“Life throws challenges and every challenge comes with rainbows and lights to conquer it.”
― Amit Ray
