Embraced or Not, Change is Here

Don’t like surprises? Can’t find the joy in discomfort? 

I get it. I was there, too. So I understand how the current state of the world is presenting a pretty big challenge for all of us. Life as we know it has flipped upside down. COVID-19 has changed everything about the way we operate both personally and professionally. We are all finding our new normal.

Maybe your business is struggling. 

Maybe working from home was not something you or your business was prepared for.

Maybe you are one of the 3.3 million that filed for unemployment in a single day.

If you read my open letter explaining why I am leaving my post as CEO of Savii, then you can appreciate I am wading through these unknown waters and navigating change with you.  

And while we may all feel like we’re being pulled in a million different directions and having to make choices on the fly of how to adapt to our environment, there is only one choice that matters in all of this: 

Will you resist the change, or will you embrace it?

Losing everything you are familiar with will bring you back to the core of everything you are.

It is easy to let your identity become tied up in your career and your achievements; identity and routine can become synonymous. Throwing yourself into discomfort is not exactly a natural human reaction; in fact, human nature dictates that we resist discomfort and change.

And yet, here we are - in the middle of the discomfort and chaos with no way out. So, why not embrace where we are. We are going to be here for a while, anyway. Ask yourself, will you look back and be proud of your actions during this time, or will you try to forget this season?

Though the outside circumstances are dire, this is an exciting opportunity to evolve our lives and businesses. If you’re going through a significant life shift right now, this is what I found helps you to thrive through the change instead of crumbling against it:

1. Embrace the Emotion: Do not run away, smother, or push away all the anxiety and discomfort we are all feeling. Let it wash over you and feel it all. For someone like me, this part sucked. I prefer to move past the emotional aspect and get on with the future. However, by not permitting ourselves to feel scared or whatever emotion it is that disrupts your strong head game, then you are doing yourself, family, and business a total disservice. Whatever feelings you do not process during this time, you will pack away and carry as baggage into the next chapter of your life. 
2. Process and Plan: Now that you can think past the emotion, apply the change to your life, process the impact of this event (COVID-19), and plan (or imagine) how this can serve you, your business, your family in a different but better way. What’s the alternative? We don’t want to go there, so get your head into a positive mindset and start working toward that mental pivot that will result in a better outcome. 
3. Move: Start actioning the plan. Get your people involved and start moving. The world has changed - the game has changed - your plan had better have changed, and the quicker you can get your team moving in this new world, the higher the chance of survival. No business will be left unchanged, but some will survive, and many will not. 

What I've found on the other side of this new world, after I forced myself to process all of my emotions, is that I rediscovered my “why” - why I chose this career path and why business will change for the better because of COVID-19. 

That is what you will find when embracing this massive discomfort. 

The things that matter will never be more apparent than they are on the other side of this moment. And though we would never choose it and it is very tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel, you will find on the other side of this discomfort that you wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.

Cups of coffee, confidence, and consistency,

Kristen

Kristen Duell has more than 16 years in the healthcare and technology space; she is focused on helping the post-acute care industry embrace change, leverage their technology, and inspire leadership.