How To Navigate Change in 2022
“Change is the only constant in life.”
— Heraclitus
Whether we see it or not, everything around us is constantly changing.
Society changes.
Technology evolves.
Norms shift.
But more importantly, each of us are also constantly undergoing profound internal change.
All you have to do is to look at your own life to see how things can shift at the drop of a dime when it comes to health, relationships, money, success and feelings of self-worth.
Learning how to navigate life’s shifting sands is all-important for your overall fulfillment, happiness and success.
Or as psychoanalyst John Lilly quipped, “Our only security is our ability to change.”
The problem is embracing change is not always easy.
For many of us, it can feel downright frightening and uncomfortable.
Tim Ferris once observed, “People would rather be unhappy than uncertain.”
So how can you welcome change in a healthy way?
Part of the answer is to keep an open mindset.
An open mindset is one that views obstacles as opportunities, mistakes as valuable lessons and accepts that you can’t control everything in life. Instead of being fearful, someone with an open mindset will meet the change head-on, be curious about the process and welcome the prospect of learning something new.
An open mindset gives you the tools to keep going no matter how hard the challenge.
Another key to successfully handling change is to start small.
When you encounter a brand-new situation or want to change a situation in your life, take baby steps instead of giant leaps.
In today’s ‘always on’ world, it’s easy to be impatient and in a rush. A lot of us fall into the trap of wanting everything NOW and we set goals that are too big or unachievable. When that happens, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and to give up before we start.
A far more positive approach is to break down the big goal into bite-sized pieces. Take consistent baby steps every single day. Look for (and celebrate!) the mini victories, those quickly achievable wins that bring you one step closer to your bigger objective.
Finally, it’s essential to be more aware of how you deal with change.
Examine some of the major changes in your life and ask yourself the following:
How did you react to the change?
What did you do (or not do) to make the change happen?
How long did the change take?
What were the rewards of the change?
What parts of the process were negative?
How did your mindset help you respond to the change?
Did you welcome the change or did you resist it?
What would you do differently next time?
The answers to these questions will help you understand how you have reacted in the past and how you can embrace change more positively in the future.
I’d love to help you get the change in your life that you seek.