Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. ~King Whitney Jr.
Have you had a change that you could have looked at differently? Most of us think that certain change means that things could get worse, which is understandable. Take for example a job loss. This change is bad. But is it? If you look long and hard enough, there is some good that can and will result. In fact, in spite of the great discomfort in not knowing what will come next and the blow to self-confidence, it may be the best thing that ever happened to you. Maybe this job loss is a time to explore a new career, go back to school, enjoy some well-deserved time with family and friends, start a business, catch up on projects, and finally lose 50 pounds. It’s hard to see the good though when you are struggling to get food on the table, or faced with a foreclosure.
The challenge remains to look at struggles with a fresh eye to see where there is hope, hidden opportunities, and what there is to be grateful for in spite of the setback. This helps to lessen the pain of a hardship and maybe do something other than what you would normally do.
Change expert Ariane de Bonvoisin in her book, The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Any Change, says, “Every change has a gift associated with it. While it’s natural to find change hard, it’s important to remember that there are two sides to every coin and that something positive will always come. This is by far the most important belief to have during the first thirty days of change.”
So, although change is hard, it certainly shakes up the routine and has us look at things that may have been overlooked or placed on a back burner. The issue comes to the fore, and life, typically, is never the same. And what you do with that change determines the course of your life, your destiny.
As Ariane says, something positive will always come in a job loss, divorce, foreclosure, illness – whatever it is through sheer faith, strength and determination you can not only survive, but make life even better. But start by looking at change from a different perspective because how we view and ultimately navigate change means all the difference in the quality and direction of our lives.
For more information on Ariane de Bonvoisin, a change expert and help with transitioning through any change, visit www.first30days.com.
First 30 Days by Ariane De Bonvoisin, May 2008
