Transitions can be anything from mildly annoying to impossibly huge barriers. I think it depends on the transition and your wiring. While some embrace change with the eagerness of a starving man at a buffet, others find every reason not to engage in the struggle.
Here are a few ideas to consider as you confront change:
- Define the change.
- Is it your choice or not?
- What obstacles can you identify?
- What transitions have you experienced in the past, and how did they resolve? This one is really important!! (Think transitions in marital status, family, work, health, etc.) If you’ve done it before, you can do it again.
- Consider the benefits of successfully navigating this change. Make note of any negative aspects as well. In other words, the pluses and minuses. Can you imagine the opportunities for fun, growth and exploration in this next chapter?
- Tune into your body. How does it feel in your body when you consider this challenge? Where do you feel it? Is it a tightness in your throat or a warm feeling in your stomach?
Pushing through resistance requires the ability to keep slugging through the anxiety. It’s recognizing that the negative feelings you’re dealing with are temporary and not the foretelling of endless misery. And if you see nothing positive, it’s probably time to seek some counseling help to work through it.
Change is all about momentum. That’s why planning, consideration and conversation with other stakeholders are so vitally important. Resistance is normal, but retreating to default is an act of cowardice. Your limiting beliefs about who you are–and what your purpose in life is all about–is a giant barrier to living a rich and meaningful life.
