Learn To Love Career Change
By Deborah Brown-Volkman
Is your career changing? If you are like the majority of
people in the workforce today, the answer is probably yes.
Companies thrive on change, and most change very quickly.
But how are you handling your change? Are you going with it,
or hoping that you can ride it out? Or are you wishing that your
change would just go away so you don't have to think about it
anymore.
Change is not easy for most people. But change is inevitable.
Maybe it's a new boss that you weren't expecting. Or a new job or
career. Maybe your industry is going away or your company is
closing. Maybe your skills are not needed anymore.
If you can learn to love change and accept it you won't be
afraid of it anymore. What you don't resist cannot persist. Expect
change to affect you. Expect it to alter the way you see yourself
and your career. Whatever the change you have a decision to make.
Hate it and be miserable or love it so you can tackle it head on
and use it to your advantage. So how can you learn to
love change? Follow these three steps below:
1. Ask Yourself What You Are "Really" Afraid
Of
Fear plays a big part in change management. If you believe you
cannot handle your change, change will be more difficult for you.
If you believe you can handle whatever comes your way, change will
be easier for you and more fun. It's important that you identify
what part of a change scares you. Maybe you are not afraid of what
will happen, but are afraid of the journey. Maybe you are looking
forward to the journey, but are afraid you won't get to your
destination. If you can see your fear as a part of the bigger
picture, rather than the whole picture, you can address the piece
that scares you the most. Dealing with something smaller is easier
than dealing with something that is bigger. Understand where the
fear is specifically so you can zero in on what needs to be
addressed first.
2. Understand That You Will Always Be
Changing
Change is a part of life and is a good part. New
relationships, new jobs, new cities, new friends. All good aspects
of life. They say "when one door closes, another one opens" for a
reason. Doors close because they are supposed to close. And new
doors cannot open until you shut the one behind you. Not all change
is bad. It's how we grow and become better people. Without change,
you may feel more secure, but your career would be more boring. And
that would be worse and more unfulfilling than the change
itself.
3. Make Change Your Friend
If you are in the midst of a change, take a step back and look at
it objectively. Was this a sudden change or one you knew you should
be making for a long time? If you weren't resisting your change,
what would be possible and what would you be doing differently? For
one, you would be moving through your change quicker. And enjoying
it more. Change happens for a reason. Make change your friend
rather than your enemy and change will be easier and more
rewarding.
