LIFE BY DESIGN
CHANGE
Change is the only thing that's constant. Change is scary. But...
All of us are immersed in change. It is empowering to realise that we are all living in a constant state of flux and that this is normal process in life. Realising this helps us accept change as a process in which we are involved, instead of trying to control that which we cannot.
When you understand that the only constancy in our lives is change, you can let go of the need for control, and allow life to flow.
Assist yourself and others by helping them realise that they always have a choice in how they experience change.
Remember your choice is not in stopping change but in how you deal with it.
It is natural to avoid change by not taking action and not facing the unknown, fearing failure and discomfort. Now how can one go through the cycles of change with highest benefit and least pain? See the follow 4 phases to increase your awareness and agility to in the hard time of change.
PHASE 1: SHUFFLE
Detachment from what didn’t work by choice or default:
- Clarify. Look at the core Values, beliefs, feelings, thoughts, dreams, desires, goals, opportunities, purpose
- Explore, network, research, prioritise
- Choose a new ‘game’ to play, new 'players' in the team (or outsourced on the side) and set a new action strategy
- Stay calm, breath, and breath again
- Avoid judgment (self and others)
- Get a support system, coach to guide, work through fears, anxiety, challenge limiting beliefs, build a strategy and hold you accountable
PHASE 3: PLAY THE GAME
Successful and fulfilled enough? Leaving the dream?
- What do I do next?
- Where we grow from here?
- How can I manage it all? Not enough time in the day.
- Am I good enough to take it further?
ACTIONS:
- Clarify your goal
- Make a feasibility plan
- Get out of your way
- See what works and what doesn’t
- Enjoy the process
PHASE 2: DEAL
Want to change for better? Know what you want? Why? Idea/Plan how to get there? Time for action.
- Implementation of the plan from Phase 1, action, more planning, research, practice, experimenting, adjusting, testing again
- Moving towards the goals, finding opportunities, choosing the ‘cards’ and ‘players’
- Excitement, fear of failure or success
- Believe in yourself, your purpose and your passion, your goal
- Get an accountability group or a coach to follow the plan through, give objective feedback and assess the progress, support if you get rocks (blocks) on the way.
Allow yourself the time, trust yourself.
How else to get where you want to get without adequate plan and actions, right?
PHASE 4: TOSS IT
All comes to an end - Success or Failure
So what, now what?
Life is a roller coaster. Even though it seems we are starting over, we have the experience of the past ride, and life is all about taking another ride.
Normal questions:
- What has just happened?
- Hard to move forward/move on?
- Dwelling on the loss?
- Feel like a victim?
- Lack of hope?
- Fear of the unknown?
- Don’t want to deal with it now?
- Feel alone, no-one to turn to?
- No energy to do anything?
Did you think of:
- How have you grown from this?
- What is one thing you learnt?
- What is another way of looking at it?
- Need support and expertise (interest group, consultant, business network), friend (ear/shoulder), therapist (healing from the past), coach (moving forward)?
The only thing constant is change. The time goes around the clock, spring comes after winter, problem has a solution, crisis has an opportunity.
‘God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference’ - Reinhold Niebuhr
Ref: iPEC +
