To take charge for your life and handle change that will inevitably come your way, first know who you are: your background and experiences, skills and talents, assumptions, and self-perceptions. There are four areas of thought and self-questioning that can prepare you for new frontiers, a different path, or any unknown.
Self-Awareness
- How mindful am I of my interests, abilities, and skills?
- What am I good at that I also enjoy?
- How can I assess myself to do what I do well?
There are many assessments out there – free and for-a-fee; online, in books, and through career professionals. It’s also helpful to do some sort of vision exercise. One that gives you a snapshot of your look into the future.
Others’ Support
- Do I have a good support system?
- Am I able to talk with family, friends, colleagues, a support group. or professionals about how I feel?
- Are the influencers in my life positive and supportive regarding my ideas and plans for the future?
If our perception is that we have, in Susan Whitcomb’s words, “bone marrow” people, it affects our behavior. If we sense that those around us are not supportive, that too impacts our thoughts and actions.
Self-Accountability
- Do I share what I know or learn with someone else?
- Do I have an accountability buddy?
- Do I journal my activity? Have some sort of system to hold myself accountable?
- Do I set daily, weekly, and longer-term goals?
- Do negative or self-defeating thoughts control me? What are they?
When you’re personally accountable, you take ownership of what happens as a result of your choices and actions. You chart a course and follow it. You sometimes fall backward or completely off the wagon. You acknowledge it and get back on track. You don’t blame others or make excuses. You don’t beat yourself up. You do what you can to take corrective action when things go wrong.
Your Power
- How committed am I to developing a proactive action plan for forward movement?
- When something happens beyond my control, how do I respond? How will I know the difference between what worries around what I can change; and fretting about what I can’t change?
- What steps can I take to acknowledge and take control over my mindset?
Look at your past and times in your life when you experienced major change. What was it? What was your fear? How did you respond? How did you work it out? Look backwards to your experiences in dealing with change. It may well present a well-traveled roadmap that will help you face your concerns about change.
Now, ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” If you’ve adapted to change before, survived, even flourished, well, you can do it again.
