Change is not an option. Change is an Opportunity.

In this series I have been sharing with you how it is possible, during challenging times, that you can actually thrive rather than just survive.

How can you take advantage of this opportunity of change to dramatically move forward in your personal and professional life?

As I shared in Part 1, there are 3 keys to taking charge of your life during times of change:

• Adjust Your Personal Vision
• Discover Hope Out of Helplessness
• Turn Powerlessness into Action

In my previous post, I discussed the importance of adjusting your personal vision (your unique picture of your personal future) in order to adjust the way in which we see our future to fit the new situation/condition by letting go to move forward. In this post I would like to share:

Key #2 – Discover Hope Out of Helplessness

“Change is hard on hope.”

Change and uncertainty can lead to:

• Discouragement, losing your spirit
• Feeling helpless or out of control
• Destroying your self-confidence
• Draining your energy

In order to deal with the uncertainty and fear of the future, we often will put on what I call ‘emotional armor’ to protect yourself. It makes sense that we would want to feel safe and protected during times of change, yet there is a cost to carrying around such armor.

In Medieval times, armies would create more and more armor to protect themselves from the enemy until it reached a point where the army with too much armor became weighed down and unable to fight!

In much the same way, extreme caution and fear can lead to emotional paralysis. You can become so weighed down with anxiety that you freeze while the realities of life keep on going.

Your focus on current and possible future problems destroys your ability to see opportunities within the change that is happening.

There are 3 types of emotional armor that many put on to protect ourselves. The key is to identify your armor in order to remove it and to feel lighter.

• The Armor of the Fear of Risk-Taking(Resistance to Change)

Change is scary, and our tendency is to lose a childlike response to life.

“One of the most responsible things you can do as an adult is to become more of a child.” ~ Wayne Dyer

In times of change, become more childlike:

• Take chances- become creative and more flexible
• Change “What if” thinking to “So what” thinking
• Allow for spontaneity in your life – start dreaming again!
• Give yourself permission to laugh, have some fun and relax

“With a little madness (and childlike thinking) you can cut the rope (of fear) and be free!” ~Zorba the Greek

• The Armor of a Lack of Self-Confidence

During times of change, LISTEN to your self-talk – Is it positive or negative?

As I have shared in a past post, quiet that negative and fear-inducing voice in your head!

“You cannot consistently perform or live in a manner which is inconsistent with the way you see or talk to yourself”

• The Armor of Stress and a Lack of Balance

Take time for self-care:

• Regular exercise, sleep and diet
• Slow, focused breathing during times of anxiety
• Set aside time for intentional activities for relaxation

“If the snooze button on your alarm is getting as worn out as you are, wake up – you may be burning out!” ~Patty Boyd

Identify and remove your emotional armor.

Change is not an option, but an opportunity to Discover Hope Out of Helplessness

I look forward to sharing Key #3, Turn Powerlessness into Action, in my next Post.

The post Taking Charge in Times of Change (Part 2) first appeared on Dr. Nick Lazaris.