I just posted “How Do You Respond to Change?” at the other blog I write.
Change is hard.
Sometimes it’s hard because we don’t have any choice about it; the changes are completely out of our control. In that case, we may feel entitled to the emotions and thoughts I describe in that post: we have a right to be angry, sad… a right to wish for a return to our preferred state.
Sometimes change is hard even when we choose it.
I am in the middle of making a lot of professional changes in my life. I will outline the details in a future post. But know this: These are changes that I have chosen.
They are on my own terms, toward a new and exciting future, but not entirely without regret.
All week, I have been running on overdrive, fueled by the energy and enthusiasm I have for my new work. This morning, though, I woke up mid-dream with a sense of loss about the choices I have made. My subconscious is able to firmly grasp that which is elusive to me during my waking hours: This change I’ve chosen, though I am embracing it with unflinching joy, is still difficult.
There are lessons here for me as I seek to encourage others who are experiencing changes in their lives.
I am inspired to listen with patience. I want to use my experiences to help me remember that emotions are often unpredictable and shifting.
I want to tell my friends in transition — as I tell myself — to take time to grieve the losses, celebrate the joys, and to take each moment as it comes.
Tell me something! What changes or transitions are you experiencing? What has been most helpful to you during times of change? What can you do to make a positive difference in the life of someone who is the midst of change?
I am the founder/CEO of the Weaving Influence team, the author of Reach: Creating the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and the host of the Book Marketing Action Podcast. I’m a wife and mom of three kids, and I enjoy running, reading, writing, coffee, and dark chocolate.
All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France
Tele,
I love the quote! I need to post it somewhere where I can see it! Thanks for sharing it and for spending some time in my new space!
Grateful for you!
Sonia,
Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment on my posts here. I am glad that the things I shared about my transition resonated with you.
More questions: What is holding you back from completing your transition of ending one path and truly embarking on the other? How can you keep the familiar, keep a sense of who you are, while taking steps toward your desired future? What can I do to encourage you on your journey?
I look forward to sharing more conversations with you, here and at your site, in the coming year.
And, I very much appreciate your friendship and support!
Becky!
Thank you for inviting me to your new space and for sharing in your transition.
I have been in transition for almost 2 years now and your post has hit home to a lot of the feelings and thoughts I have been having. Unless I choose my path (choosing to end one path and fully embark on another) I will continue the difficult transition potentially forever.
I love the quote shared by Tele Raack! “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France
“We must die to one life before we can enter another.” This is the key and the only reason why change is hard… we long to keep the familiar, to keep that part of ourselves.
Your question: “What changes or transitions are you experiencing? What has been most helpful to you during times of change?”
I am experiencing changes in my work direction. Choosing to live out my mission to get people “Ready to Feedback”! What has been the MOST helpful in my transition is being part of groups with like-minded people who share my passion and encourage me to challenge myself and those around me.
Grateful for you!
Sonia