Change can be a blessing or a curse; it depends on how we perceive it.  It’s fair to say that every one of us knows someone going through some kind of change. It may be you. Just look at the state of our society and the world, if you dare. Change can arrive swiftly, without warning; the familiar can turn on a dime. Change can feel daunting at times, especially when the comfortable and reliable become foreign to us.  I had such an experience recently when a tiny window leak in our bedroom sanctuary turned into the removal of an entire wall/ceiling, then an unexpected evacuation.

When mindful and clear, we can initiate change by choosing to become aware of our habits and the patterns that no longer serve us.  And sometimes change can be driven by others. We must pause and check in with ourselves to observe how change aligns with where we want to go or who we would like to become.  The only constant in life is change; circumstances unfold, and people evolve–in what direction is up to you.  Nothing stays the same, we are either moving forward or backward at any given time. The resistance to change can feel overwhelming and paralyzing, if we allow it. That’s why must look at our beliefs about change and ultimately decide to trust what is occurring. This is called allowing. What attitudes can we adopt to trust or practice faith in the change we are experiencing?

Remember, change can be a blessing or a curse, friend or enemy; it all depends on your angle. No matter what happens, change will be what you make of it: easy, difficult, good, bad, necessary, beneficial, uncomfortable, or extraordinary.  The more mindful we can become about change, the better it will feel.  Here are some tips for embracing change.

  1. Focus on the outcome you want. A great client once told me his secret to success, “Begin with the end in mind.”
  2. Ask for help. Let go of your ego or pride and simply ask for assistance.
  3. Listen to your intuition. Very often we have a sense of what is going on and we ignore it.
  4. Trust your decision-making. Stop asking others what to do when you know what’s best for you.  Quite often people will respond with what is best for them, not you.
  5. Enlist support. Share the shift you want to make with confidantes. Don’t bring too many cooks in the kitchen.  Ask wise people who trust the process.
  6. “Act as if.” Act as if the change has already occurred, by imagining what it would feel like.  We have a tendency to remain worried until after the change has occurred; this keeps us from feeling good during the shift. 
  7. Identify what has worked for you. If you’ve been successful before, think about how you handled it, and emulate that.
  8. Allow it to happen. Sometimes we hold on to or fight for something that is not in our best interest.  Be willing to let go and know that something better is coming in.
  9. Study role models. If they can do it, you can do it.  Borrow a strategy and work your plan, that’s how you hit your bulls eye! 
  10. Take the leap of faith.  The healthiest and most successful people in the world thrive and grow in circumstances of change.  They embrace it and make it their own.

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” –Socrates