The Stormy Seas of Change

Recently I stepped away from a permanent role in an incredible organisation in order to pursue my own personal mission.?This wasn’t a decision I took lightly and certainly wasn’t a quick one either.?While my role was fulfilling, I was connected to the mission and the people and culture were incredible there was this gnawing, nagging feeling that I wanted something different.

Taking this step has been transformational, to say the least, but not without its challenges.?My personal struggles around self-doubt and belief have become amplified.?Knowing where to spend my energy and attention has become a little like sailing a ship through raging storms without a compass and of course, the perennial question who is going to buy what I have to offer and when?

However, transformation and change are not something new to me, having reinvented myself several times over the last 25 years I am familiar with these feelings.?Additionally, I have learnt a few steps along the way that have most certainly helped me to navigate change and step into a new phase with courage and confidence.

Here are a few things to consider if you are planning on making some big life changes that have worked for me.

1. Take stock of your skills, strengths and experience

Understanding your story and the unique skills you have to offer the world are critical in identifying where it is you want to focus your energy and with whom.?Take some time to reflect on all the experiences you have had up until this point, the highs and the lows and create a list of your greatest gifts, strengths and talents.

1. Letting go of what no longer serves you

If we are courageous enough to look into the shadows we are able to identify some actions or behaviours that we regularly do that have a negative impact on ourselves or those around us. Being honest with ourselves about what no longer serves us and putting effort and intention into letting these behaviours go or at the very least not engaging in them quite so much, is a tangible step in moving forward.

1. Express gratitude for what you have and the experiences that have shaped you

Exercising humility and gratitude for the people, experiences, challenges and lessons that have led to creating who you are up until this point is a powerful way of celebrating and marking this transitional and transformational stage.?It enables you to signify the closing of one door and the opening of another.

1. Create a vision and take action

How would you like life to be moving forward??Get really specific on the details of this not just the KPIs or tangible goal-orientated stuff but also how you want to feel, how you want those that are around you to feel when you are with them and what you want to be doing.?Once you're clear what are the tangible actions you can take to move forward with this new vision??Be specific, but also keep it simple remember small steps and easy wins will keep the overwhelm at bay.

1. Surround yourself with a community of support

Change is difficult and as a general rule, humans avoid change because it can be challenging and it threatens our equilibrium.?Therefore it can be a big ask of anyone to go it alone to make a change without the support of others.?So who can you consciously surround yourself with that can keep you accountable, prop you up when you need it and cheer from the sidelines and celebrate with you? ?

In my experience, navigating change is a process but having a plan and taking these conscious steps hasn’t calmed the waters, however, they have helped to reduce the swell to a more manageable level.

As I write this it serves as a useful reminder to me of the things I need to do at this exciting and scary time as I transition into a new way of being.?I hope that perhaps this can be of support to you also in navigating change in your life.

First published on my blog:

https://www.beinghuman.net.au/blog/navigating-change

#changeleadership #storytelling #personaldevelopment #connection