Copyright © 2021 Lee Spirit
I don’t know about you, but it seems like a lot of things in the world are changing, and managing change is a little tiresome! Like many others, I’m heading back to the workplace after almost a year and a half of working solo from home. It feels a little hectic and scattered to me! My life routine and schedule are changing again. I can only be grateful for my many blessings in still being employed and healthy after a year and a half of pandemic. That doesn’t mean it will be without challenges though!
Maybe you are going through some difficult changes too, and worse than what I’ve mentioned so far. Fires are raging out of control. Maybe you’ve lost a home, a loved one, a job, or your health has taken a turn for the worse. You surely can relate to feeling uneasy going forward from here. Change is the only constant in life, but that doesn’t make it easy!
Notice how I don’t have the most positive spin on this myself? You may feel you’re alone out there, but we all share struggles of some sort on this ever-changing journey called life. If only we could shift our attitudes about change, managing change through smoky times would be so much easier!
Managing Change When You Are Set in Routines
I’m guilty of being someone who is really set in my ways and routines. I get into a comfort zone, and I want to stay there forever! The trouble with this is that we can get stuck in a rut that’s hard to get out of.
We may take the same route to work everyday, or go on the same walk or run through the neighbourhood. I’ve been doing the same boxing HIIT workout for years! If we realize that it’s good for our brains to shift directions, and learn a new route and routine, we can explore new territory while doing something good for ourselves. You may even get a new, fresh perspective on things, or work some new muscles!
It may be that you are set in your ways in your relationships. This lack of flexibility turns potential partners away from you, if they want to go more with the flow and be more spontaneous. Flexibility is so important in both relationships, and workplaces!
If breaking free from your routines seems daunting to you, perhaps it’s time to change things up a bit so that managing change becomes a little less cumbersome. We can shift our perspectives on change to consider it beneficial to our lives and wellbeing. This gives ourselves a beautiful new power. We have the power to make our own choices and decisions! Empower yourself to be the change that you seek by stepping out of your comfort zones and trying something new!
What Is Holding You Back From Managing Change Effectively?
Consider all the things that may be holding you back from making that much needed change. It might be a good idea to write them down so you can clearly see what is preventing you from moving forward in healthy ways. Are you afraid to quit your job in case you don’t find something better? Are you overwhelmed by all that’s involved in moving to a new home? Maybe you don’t want to end that relationship that is draining you of energy because you don’t want to be alone?
The truth is, you do have the power in you to change your life for the better! Whether you get laid off from your job and are forced into a new situation, or if you consciously make a different choice about the friends you surround yourself with, remember this: “If it is to be it is up to me!” – These may be the 10 most important two-letter words in the English language!
You have the ability to gather up some new job skills and get the job you want. If you break it down into small steps, and check off each one as you go, you will be able to move into the home you want. You have the power to withstand the hurt of your relationship ending, which creates space and energy for you to bring someone new into your life.
Look For the Good in Everything
It’s a great practice to adopt an attitude of gratitude when managing change. It was a shock to my system when I had to start working from home during the pandemic, and it’s equally shocking to have to return to the workplace. But how grateful I am to still be employed! With that perspective of gratitude, I have nothing to complain about! I also have my health, which is one of my number one values in life. Reading about personal development, learning about mindfulness, taking yoga classes, and spending time in nature has given me the coping skills I have today.
When you look for the good in everything, managing change can be very exciting, and a new opportunity for growth. You find new courage you didn’t know you had. You attract different circumstances and people that lead you to your true desires and dreams. When you feel afraid of a change, try looking at it through a different lens. See it as an exciting challenge or opportunity for growth and development. It can be tough at first to shift your attitude, but with practice it will become natural.
Learning To Embrace Uncertainty
This past year and a half has certainly been uncertain! Pandemic stress has run rampant, and we don’t know what the future holds for us. While this is true, we must remember that life always carries a bit of uncertainty. Managing change during uncertain times can be as easy as loving whatever arises without resistance to the change. Okay, maybe “easy” isn’t the best word. Learning to embrace change for what it is, and seeing it as that growth opportunity is key to feeling okay with change. We can learn this with a little practice.
Learn some good Resilience Tips When the World Turns Upside-Down.
Being resilient means that you can accept and adapt to changes and bounce back, sometimes stronger than before. It doesn’t mean you won’t get frustrated, angry, or depressed. It just means you have some tools in your toolbox to help you recover and adapt more easily.
Learning to embrace uncertainty means coming to an acceptance of whatever arises – even if it’s not ideal. It’s natural to want to have control over what happens in your life, but sometimes we just don’t know, and trying to control something we can’t will only lead to more frustration.
When we relax into whatever arises, we are allowing more energetic space into our minds and oftentimes the answers and what to do next will come to us naturally through our own wisdom and intuition. Let that guide you forward!
Rise Above Change & Challenges Today!
Steps To Take When Life Feels Out of Control
There are few steps you can take right now to balance your energy and get back on track when things spin out of control:
- Breathe – Take long deep breaths to get back into your centre. This is a simple practice you can do anywhere. At your desk, in the bathroom, or out for a walk.
- Accept whatever arises with openness and receptivity – When we allow ourselves to receive whatever comes our way with an open heart, we allow ourselves the space for growth as things change.
- Scheduling and routines – Sometimes just doing some chores on a regular basis, or waking and going to bed at the same time each night can help calm our nervous systems. Be careful not to get into habitual ruts though!
- Writing lists – Do you have a task list? This can help with feeling overwhelmed by change. Do one thing at a time with present moment awareness, and cross these things off your list for a feeling of accomplishment.
- Take steps – Take a small step towards what you want to change in your world. You won’t get there unless you do, and once you take a step towards something new, the universe will do everything to make it happen for you.
- Laugh and play – Life can get overly serious at times, so remember to be playful and curious like a child, and laugh and have fun along the way. This will ease the tension that comes with change.
I hope this helps you feel more in control of your changing circumstances! We’ve got this! Managing change doesn’t have to be a daunting task or a fire that’s out of control. It’s in us all to go with the flow of life!
Lee Spirit is an avid outdoors adventurer with a love for nature, photography, health & fitness, wellness, and spirituality. She helps those who suffer from anxiety & negative thinking to become healthier in mind-body-spirit. Her own personal journey has led her to the study and practice of mindfulness, health, wellness, yoga, spirituality, sound healing, meditation, and personal development for over 20 years. Get mindfulness, meditation, and personal development tips in her Free Natural Mind Healing Report.