Change is the nature of living and major life shifts can be an all-encompassing part of getting from Point A to Point B. Whether you are trading an old job for a new one, moving to a different city altogether or embarking on the next chapter of your life, embracing fresh opportunities brings with it varying degrees of uncertainty and fear. At the same time, transitions also offer a chance for change and self-discovery. So you can be prepared with an understanding of what to do when the going gets tough.
On the Nature of Change
Realization: Change is a natural part of life, before we go through the specific strategies. As uncomfortable as it may be, change will often drive growth. Big life change requires us to step out of our comfort zones and try things that are completely different from what the experience we currently hold. This mindset can ease the anxiety we feel with change.
1. Acknowledge Your Feelings
To navigate through any major transition, the first and most important step is to realize that you are allowed (and perhaps even supposed) to feel the emotions you are experiencing. It is perfectly normal to feel fear, excitement and even grief.
Journal your feelings or meditate on them. Being in-tune with your emotional landscape can help you process the shift in a healthier way.
Get Help: Confiding in someone you trust, like a coach or therapist can help. Even speaking out your thoughts loud and/or journaling may bring you clarity and some comfort. A coach can help you after a unexpected change in your life. A therapist who are licensed mental health professionals trained to diagnose and treat a mental health condition with a clinical method of approach.
When you acknowledge your emotions, you honor them and allow room for processing.
2. Embrace a Growth Mindset
However, a growth mindset — the belief that you can grow your abilities through effort and learning— is one of those tools to help us manage change.
Reframe Challenges: Instead of seeing challenges as obstacles, have a mindset where you see them for what they are — opportunities to learn and grow. A career change could be scary but at the same time is an opportunity to learn new skills and passions.
Enjoy the Ride: The emphasis should be placed on: not you; but where it will leave you. Recognize and celebrate your small victories on the way there. Progress is incremental every step forward is getting you closer to where you should be. You can use a growth lens to address your transitions with hope and tenacity.
3. Set Intentional Goals
When going through a dramatic life change, it is extremely comforting (and productive) to set intentional goals based on your most significant values and desires.
Identify Your Priorities — Reflect on what matters most as you make this transition. Is it making new connections, propelling your career to the next level or just being a part of something? Knowing what's most important in your life can help guide your decisions.
Develop SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achieved based on fact, Realistic and Relevant) Examples of this are your intent to go on at least three networking events in the first month when moving for a job, and so forth.
Having clarity of goals helps steer you in the right direction and it can help inform your purpose as well.
4. Establish a Support Network
When things are changing it can feel easier to manage and come out of the other side when you have a network around that supports.
Find Your Tribe: Find your people & join a group, organization of some sort or follow an online community that supports this interest / goal you have. That could provide support and even some real camaraderie while submitting oneself to the grind in transitioning.
Utilize Those Professional Resources: If you have not yet found a mentor or coach — one that can help guide you through the specifics of YOUR situation, get on it. Use these people to work your way out because they truly know what works and does not for their clients by foreknowledge. The coach identifies and challenges your strengths, obstacles in leading yourself or others) and helps you form an action plan as unique as the snowflakes of Canada.
If you surround yourself with loving people, it will be like putting on a warm winter jacket — snuggling in safely to face whatever changes are ahead.
5. Practice Self-Care
Amid the chaos, we miss taking care of ourselves in big transitions. But self-care is important if you want to be resilient.
Create Daily Routines: Build into your day-to-day life, routines that include self-care activities (e.g. exercise, meditation or fun things you like doing). Making self-care rituals regular provides structure in an unstructured world.
Tune in: Your body and feelings are speaking. Rest and recharge if you are exhausted.
Making time for self-care helps you build resilience to navigate difficult times, the loss of routines we once loved and an inability to adjust.
6. Be Flexible & Open to Other Opportunities
You need to be flexible in order through major life transitions. Although there is a plan, new opportunities will be welcome.
Accept Change: See the out-of-the-blue lateral move for what it is – an opportunity rather than a setback. Every change you make could result in a different idea, revealed not realized before.
Be Curious: Embrace the transition with curiosity and an exploratory attitude. Ask for suggestions, seek advice and learn from others.
You will be more equipped to embrace change if you have kept an adaptable mindset.
Coaching: Overcoming the transitions
Change is hard. Change can be overwhelming, but you don't have to go through change by yourself. Change can be stressful, and this is when coaching could come in handy.
That is why as a certified coach I am here to help empower you in transition, so that it no longer feels all-consuming and daunting. We will identify your strengths and create goals that mean something to you, working towards a purposeful action plan in line with what truly inspires/ motivates you. I offer coaching to help you discover new possibilities and live through life changes in a beautiful, caring way.
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Are you ready for the next step in creating a smoother major transition? We'll help you develop a personalized plan allowing for massive change and the freedom to flourish, together. Click here to schedule a FREE 45-minute consultation today and let’s chat about how my coaching can help you during this season of significance.
While you can absolutely resist change, some things even have changed for the worse. I believe we can transform obstacles into possibilities and pave the road to a full-filling, purpose driven life together.
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