You know the old saying, “We can’t live with it and we can’t live without it?” Well that certainly applies to change. None of us can quite get our heads wrapped around how we feel about change. Sometimes it’s AWESOME. New places to visit. Exciting new job. Intriguing options. Plateaus to overcome. Limitations to conquer. End of boredom. Beginning of excitement. But then there’s the other side to change. You know – that gut feeling that tells us we are in over our heads. Brain freeze. Anxiety. Anger. Attitude that says “what was wrong with the way we used to do it?” Unknowns. Loss. Worry. STOP.
How cool it would be if we could always approach change with a child’s delight kind of feeling that something new is waiting for you and it could be absolutely amazing. And you just can’t wait to see what’s going to happen instead of the monsters in the closet feeling that keeps you frozen in time, not wanting to move a muscle so no one even knows you’re there.
As a keynote speaker, I’m asked all the time, “Connie can you do a session on CHANGE?” Sure. No problem. Here it is. Ready? YOU’LL BE FINE. Change is NOT your enemy. You CAN do this! Here’s the deal: Most change is exciting. Necessary. And an amazing opportunity for you to get re-energized. Think about it. Change has been a HUGE part of your life since the moment you were born. You dealt with it when you were 2, 12, and 21, and you most certainly can deal with it now. In fact—it’s in your DNA! Look at our ancestors! Their genes are running through you at this very minute. They left homes, countries, cultures, family, and friends and set out across oceans. More change than you and I will ever have to deal with in one lifetime—and they figured it out. (And they didn’t even have therapists, Facebook or employee workshops to teach them “how to survive change in the new world!”
Now don’t think I don’t know what you are going through. There’s lots of change out there! Organizations, families, and economies are going through upheavals and shifts and they’re doing at lightning speed. But you were built to handle it. Just commit to tapping into the resources within yourself. Your body, nervous system, and brain are equipped to take risks, move forward, overcome obstacles and get right back on track.
“But why is my organization changing so much and so fast? I can barely keep up.” The reality is this: If your company isn’t consistently changing SO much you can barely breathe — it’s probably not going to be around very long. So you’ve got two choices. Allow yourself to get overwhelmed and CHOOSE to whine and complain. Or take a deep breath and meet it head on. Get on board. Find your voice. Get right smack in the middle of it. Be creative and make your input and ideas count. Because I know this for sure, organizations are looking for people who can tackle change with a clear head, a willing soul, and a determined brain. Those employees will be in the center spotlight with nowhere to go but UP!
Are you willing and able to roll with the punches? Pick up on the changes, own them and become part of the solution and results? Are you contributing to the calm or the chaos? Fighting to keep the status quo or championing a move into the future? Remember – you’ve got this covered. CHANGE is in your DNA. You were born to adapt. To shift and learn and change right along with this busy, bustling, 24/7 world we live in! Your success? Lies in how you answer those questions! (Look to your DNA – you’ll be OK!)
Want to learn more about why it’s important to RECOMMIT to CHANGE? Click here to read chapter one of my book 10 Ways to Stand Out From the Crowd and follow me online at Facebook or LinkedIn!
