“Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change. Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them.” – Henry S. Commager
Change is inevitable! We face change every day of our lives, and change can have a different impact on our lives. How we make sense of it will affect how we process it and our ability to respond innovatively and creatively. My personal experiences during chaos became my teacher. I learned how to thrive amid chaos. Every single challenge that I perceived as a barrier to fulfilling my purpose was what taught me the art of thriving. Thriving in spite of the mess, I faced empowered me to gain a greater insight in dealing with personal and organizational change. I further understood why people resist change and identifying some typical responses to change. My idea helps me share what shapes our views toward change, as well as tips on overcoming the stress and anxiety of change and the role of personal empowerment in the change process.
When Change is on the Horizon
As I pause to reflect on how we thrive during the chaos, many stories come to mind. I recall a conversation with a friend who shared suddenly being unemployed due to a change in an Administration. At that time, my friend had a side catering business and faced a dilemma amid unexpected chaos. At that moment, he had a light bulb experience and made a choice to take the catering business to the next level and launched their own restaurant business. Today they are the owners of not one but four restaurants!
This is a reflection of our deciding to bounce back and thrive during the chaos. Just like my friend, we too have or will be faced with unexpected circumstances and fear can set in. I all too well understand the impact of change and uncertainty which can leave you with two options: 1) to view change as a threat; or 2) see it as an opportunity.
Thriving Amid Chaos
In order to thrive during change, it is essential to identify how we handle change. For example, do we tend to buckle amid a crisis, or do we tend to become more resilient and resourceful during this time? Knowing who we are in the midst of chaos is useful in making sure we have are being empowered with the necessary tools to thrive.
Thriving during chaos requires us to live fearlessly and courageously. Might you think ‘courageously? – I just lost my job’ or encountered some other unexpected challenge. Living fearlessly is more about befriending fear and being willing to embrace the change you face. Consider courage as ‘the ability to purposefully move forward during change with a mindset to thrive.’ As you reflect on this concept of heroism, consider some action steps you might take to thrive during the chaos.
5 Action Steps to Thrive in the Midst of Chaos
It was the unexpected seasons of change that led to meaningful moments for me to develop action steps on my journey to thriving. During the chaos, there are steps we must take that are essential to our mental and emotional well-being. While I developed several action steps, the following 5 action steps impacted me in such a powerful way. The steps are to:
Intentionally identify the life anchors that keep you balanced.
Increase practicing moments of solitude or transcendental meditation.
Be very mindful of HOW you hear and WHAT you hear during moments or seasons of change. This is an essential action step because that which we give attention to will have the most significant power.
Intensify your self-care and develop a growth mindset.
Embrace the power of the pen by journaling to track your coping strategies.
7 Day Action Plan
Now it’s your turn. Imagine you are in the midst of chaos or change, and you desire to thrive through unexpected circumstances. What action steps might you take to succeed? Over the next seven days, you are being challenged to create a safety plan to identify the action steps you might decide to maintain resiliency. Click herehttps://cloudup.com/c_AkCfAhZFo for the journal.
Final Step
I wish to encourage you that no matter how chaotic life can sometimes become, you have what it takes to thrive. Implement action steps that empower you to continue to grow amid the challenges you may face. As you succeed, you will discover a courageous strength you never knew you had, my friend, will open you to a world of endless possibilities.
Dare to Live Your Best Life in Abundance,
Cheryl
Your Mindset and Wellness Coach