If you consider the fact that every living being is connected, you may be able to understand why change is inevitable and also why going through change can feel challenging. Yet, if change is inevitable, each of us must go through change or experience it throughout our life journeys. Demanding that life remain as it is or as it has been for you for the last several years is one way to start feeling stuck, frustrated or flat. Accepting change is like stepping into a world of unknown. Yet, it’s also the way that many historic achievements and victories are created.
Change Your Way to Increased Business and Personal Successes
Life events such as a loved one’s transitioning, getting laid off from a job you’ve worked at for several years, maybe even decades, the end of a business venture, your children growing up or a move to a different city or state may push you toward change. If you’re currently experiencing change in your life, including change that impacts your creative business goals, products and/or services, don’t throw in the towel. After all, quitting really isn’t an option, because even after you leave this earth you gotta continue our journey elsewhere. Life’s amazing! It truly never ends.
But, as previously mentioned, change doesn’t always feel fun, especially if you didn’t get rewards you wanted the last time you experienced change in your life. However, there’s good news. The past does not have to repeat itself. You can have a different experience this time around.
Stages of Change You May Experience as a Creative Business Leader
The Inter Change Cycle Series team lists six common steps that you (all of us) generally go through as you experience change. If the change is perceived by as being small you may not notice the differences in how you feel or think as you integrate the changes into your everyday life. According to the Inter Change Cycle Series, the six stages of change are:
- Stage 1 – Loss (you may feel afraid and unable to make decisions or take forward moving action; you may feel this way, but you can always move forward, and, as you experience more change, you may come to see this more clearly)
- Stage 2 – Doubt (you may feel resentful that your life has experienced change. You may also be uneasy about making changes to your everyday activities, schedules, relationships, etc.)
- Stage 3 – Discomfort (anxiety is an emotion associated with Stage 3 of the change cycle. As you try to figure out what’s just happened you might experience confusion or a sense of not knowing what to do next – welcome to the wonderful world of the unknown!)
- Stage 4 – Discovery (anticipation or a sense of hopefulness about what’s coming next occurs at this stage. You generally start taking action and feel like you are going to move forward through the change successfully; Yeah!)
- Stage 5 – Understanding (you may feel confident now; you are probably also getting welcomed results. Life’s starting to look “good” again! Another – Yeah!)
- Stage 6 – Integration (you’re feeling satisfied right now! You’re focused! You know the universe is abundant! You’re headed toward the top!)
Keep going through each of the stages, particularly stages three and four, where some of us get stuck and start moving back and forth between the two stages. Realize that the feelings you’re experiencing are common. Realize that thoughts can pass through your mind like a cool breeze; they don’t have to stay there. And know that if you keep going, you may end up enjoying rewarding life experiences you couldn’t have dreamed up!
Get into Spiral online at: https://www.ebookit.com/books/0000000841/Spiral.html
Check out Long Walk Up online at: https://www.ebookit.com/books/0000000531/Long-Walk-Up.html
Sources:
http://www.changecycle.com/changecycle.htm (The Inter Change Cycle Series)
Love this article. Flexibility (and not trying to figure everything out) is key to living a good life!
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Change, not easy, but a necessary part of growth and life!
I agree with you all. Change isn’t always easy. But Small changes are easy. It’s the bigger changes that feel hard. I always feel so good when I get “thru” a big change.