Change is imperative in life. I believe it equates to growth, new learnings and possibilities. Although sometimes forced and challenging, the Gift of Change is needed if we are to move beyond stagnation.
How to tell if you’re open to change
Here are three questions you can ask yourself to gauge whether you are out of your comfort zone and open to change:
- Is your ‘why’ to change exceeding your ‘why’ to stay the same?
- How open are you being to identify and implement necessary
changes? - What do you do that scares you and opens you up to new
possibilities?
The changes we face in life can come in varying forms, both professionally and personally. The most successful people, leaders and business owners I know embrace unknown change and take risks to grow. They don’t stay with what is comfortable – an easy trap.
to fall into.
I believe we can fall into one of four change patterns:
1. Comfortable: we embrace known change as it can feel safe and expected.
2. Defiant: we resist known change and many times don’t
understand the reason behind it.
3. Fearful: we resist unknown change as we usually don’t understand the motivation behind it.
4. Brave: When we are brave for change, we embrace the unknown and take a risk to do so.
It’s worth reflecting on where you sit, remembering you can move in and out of each quadrant dependant on what is going for you.
It is natural to embrace changes that are known and comfortable. To be open to the Gift of Change, I believe we need to open up our hearts and minds – both our logical and emotional side. When we have a compelling reason to make a change (the ‘why’) and the motivation to make it happen, we are more likely to embrace it.
I love change and embracing the unknown; although not easy at times, being open to review and explore the possibility of change has served me well. Forced or unknown change is always more challenging to deal with. My belief that things happen for a lesson is another insight that keeps me focused and open.
Change is hardest at the start, messiest in the middle and best at the end. — Robin Sharma
We all deal with change in our own way. Whether your Gift of Change and the lessons learnt are hidden, in the past or happening now, the following tried-and-tested tips will help you unwrap this gift.
The 8 keys to embrace change:
1. Know the reason – the ‘why’ to change
2. Focus on what isn’t changing and what you can control
3. Find balance between the logical and the emotional
4. Accept that change is a process
5. Know what lights you up
6. Be mindful of change effort
7. Avoid decision paralysis
8. Be excited by change and what could be
To download the 8 Keys to Embrace Change infographic click here.
Lead to be Limitless…