The Big Girl's Guide to Change

The Big Girl Chronicles:  The Big Girl’s Guide to Change

“Why change?  I like things just the way they are.”  Have you ever found yourself pondering this question? The truth is, change is inevitable and absolutely necessary.   Don’t waste time whining about it and making the process that much more painstakingly unpleasant.  Choose the more mature option.  Embrace it and grow.  Below are a few things that could help. 

The first step to growing into change is always to check your attitude. 

How you feel about the transition is going to set the tone.  If you’re agonizing over what has to change, then you’re not going to gain as much from the experience.  Not only that, but it’s possible that you’ll either find yourself becoming part of a group of complainers who are also mourning the change in status quo or singled out from others who are on board with new plans.  If changes are occurring in your personal life that you’re not happy with such as relocation or a change in lifestyle, try to avoid obsessing over it with unpleasant thoughts.  Quickly assess the positives and capitalize on them.  Acceptance as early as possible makes things much easier.       

Do your research.

Find out as much as you can about the changes taking place.  Keeping yourself well-informed gives you a clear understanding of what you’re dealing with and what needs to happen to make the transition flow smoothly.  Although the changes might have been unexpected and unwanted, learning all you can could help you influence their purpose.  

Take this opportunity to introduce something you would like to implement.

 A healthy attitude and perspective puts you in a better place to make changes that compliment you.  Another reason why instead of whining about it you should be planning to interject some changes of your own.  Explore what possibilities this new circumstance has to offer.  Bounce around some new ideas that could make this a positive transition for you and develop a strategy for putting them in place.   If you do you could find that what began as something unpleasant could actually work in your best interest. 

Life holds many surprises and opportunities for growth.  As you maneuver through the peaks and valleys, take each moment as a challenge to learn and improve.  It’s easy to endure the good times.  But how you handle the not-so-pleasant changes that occasionally occur could help you gain insight into who you are.  Though it could have begun as something unpleasant, any experience that builds character is never in vain.