Rachel System Change Coach and Executive Mentor; APAC CXM CGO, and Dentsu’s DEI and Sustainability Champion.
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As we wrap up the year and start anew, I find Charles Darwin’s words refreshing: “It is not the strongest or the wisest who survive, but he who is most able to cope with change.”
So, amidst the current sea change, how have you navigated and managed change so far, both at work and on a personal level?
We are seeing more and more business and life coaches helping people, leaders and organizations figure out the right questions to ask. We sought outside help to help navigate difficult transitions and reposition the downturn as a positive: to find our purpose, understand how we can continue to deliver value, and fundamentally find meaning in different situations.
As a transformation coach, I have observed inflection points and witnessed individuals, leaders, and organizations willing to accept and seek guidance to reset, become more purposeful in transformation, and thrive.
Are your “jigsaw puzzles” giving you nightmares or draining you? Have you reframed the challenges of transformation and started to gain new perspective on your jigsaw puzzle? If not, I hope to help you do so by bringing some insight into your consciousness when you are facing change or keeping you up at night.
“Awareness precedes change” is one thing I’ve learned over the years navigating change on my own journey, especially during pivotal moments of redefinition in my life. I’ve also noticed it from the people and leaders I’ve supported on life transitions and corporate strategy revision and transformation journeys. In fact, we’ve seen recently that businesses face increased expectations for systemic change as external measures of success shift. Businesses now incorporate different sets of performance metrics, including ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and the foundations of the four “D” drivers I highlighted in my previous post (DEI, Digital Origins, Decarbonization and Disruptive Innovation) . These affect everyone whose livelihood depends on productivity.
The past three years have indeed been confusing for many. However, you might be surprised to know that while this is the worst time in many people’s lives, some people have come to terms with it and become successful. A clear lesson here is that we need to learn to let go of the old and welcome the new. This gives us the grace to thrive in new things. The inability to accept change is where we fail to adapt, thus fighting against old ways of thinking and operating. The more we resist or reject change beyond our control, the harder it becomes. Change can be painful, especially when there is nothing we can do about it on an unprecedented scale, difficult to accept and understand.
If we step out of our comfort zone, we also grow. Growing pains are part of the puzzle of life. We can only adapt to change with new perspectives on how to move forward. In order to facilitate change—whether reactive or proactive—we need to first accept the need for awareness. An open mind to new perspectives and insights for growth is critical. In fact, a pivotable mindset will thrive on any change and transformation.
Perspectives can indeed shift and change, and there is science behind this, giving us the opportunity to grow on a positive journey. Growing pains make us smarter, make us more resilient, and hopefully more compassionate and “anti-fragile” in order to bring grace to others. If we allow our brains to see new perspectives, it will naturally help us create new neural pathways – by activating our parasympathetic nervous system, firing active neurons in our brains that naturally connect and light up our hearts neurons in our gut (for a new reality to settle down as a “belief”) and fire neurons in our gut to exhibit this behavior in our bodies. Essentially, developing new mini habits builds good discipline over time. This is how we connect. Humans have an organic capacity and ability to manage change.
The activation of this superpower resides in our will. We can move from “stagnation” to thriving, but only if there is a desire to do so. The question is: are you willing to manage change for the sooner or later shift? Awareness brings about change. Where the focus is, the energy will flow and the results will show. So definitely worth growing.
We are endowed with strong minds to enjoy the quality of life. By contrast, constantly replaying negative thoughts in your mind — such as a traumatic event — when you’ve settled into believing in your mind creates toxicity in your body, which brings discomfort (the word “disease” origin of the word). How you shape your perspective defines your world.
A key principle is this: the world you live in is how you see it.it’s a bitter world if you see it. A world of suffering if you see it. A world of opportunity and growth if you see it. No matter how you choose to live your life, you can literally change your worldview. This is the power of change; we can choose and control our state of mind. In doing so, you will live in reality.
As we usher in a new year, are you ready for a new perspective on transformation? May I bless you with unprecedented courage and courage to move forward for transformation as you see fit and necessary – one step at a time.
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