Written by: Susanna Wu-Pong Calvert, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Though the COVID variant is waning, individual and collective traumas and losses continue through either new devastations (such as the armed conflict in Europe) or as echoes from the past. People refer to returning to a “new normal”, which I’m guessing refers to a period of calm and stability. I imagine that instability and loss are our new normal, at least for the foreseeable future.
My crystal ball is no better than anyone else’s and I hope I’m wrong. Yet I feel that wishing for something that may never happen is unhelpful. After all, economic, environmental, and health issues are not going to improve overnight, and some may continue to worsen. Even if I’m wrong, periodically rethinking and improving our practices is an adaptive and constructive habit, and challenge and/or change of any kind is a good incentive to do so.
Though we all claim that we want change, few of us really embrace it when it comes to implementation. After all, change brings uncertainty, which is hard, even if it promises brighter days ahead. Still, being proactive about change can provide a greater sense of control and agency during times that make us feel unsteady.
Here are seven strategies to help make change smoother, and more efficient and impactful:
1. Prepare for a long ride – Sometimes change strikes all at once and we’re forced to adapt quickly. Change may otherwise occur more as an evolution over time, especially true for goals that involve altering habits or behaviors. One tiny step is sometimes all we can manage with the time, energy, or emotional capacity that we might have on a given day. Going slowly also offers the advantage of enabling frequent reassessment of your strategy and direction. The landscape may look considerably different as time goes on, and you may want to adjust the course periodically.
2. Envision, but don’t be wedded to your destination – Imagining brighter days can be motivating and help give you something specific to work towards. However, being flexible is also important as you move towards that goal. After all, you might find a wonderful diversion along the way that might be better than your original objective. Your heart is a better judge of such opportunities than your mind, which tend ‒ for us all ‒ to be fear-based, negative, and judgmental. Your heart is your inner compass towards authenticity and what will feel most satisfying in your life.
3. Learn something every day – The change process itself is perhaps even more important than the destination, as you will be learning and growing with every challenge and setback regardless of where you end up. Though an easy, smooth ride may get you there quickly, you may learn little in the process, and the outcome will not feel as rewarding compared to those that involved effort. It is also no accident that you will feel challenged by situations where you have not yet developed knowledge and skill. Embracing your learning and growth over time enables your evolution into your bigger, wiser, more well-rounded, and capable self. Eventually, not much will rock your world since you will have been there, mastered that before.
4. Use your strengths – If you haven’t already done a strengths assessment, you can either take the free VIA assessment at viainstitute.org or pay for the Clifton StrengthsFinders from gallup.com. The results will reveal the talents that come most naturally to you! They are wonderful assets, not only for managing change, but fostering engagement and success throughout your life. For example, my VIA strength, perspective is especially useful when faced with change because I can always find the silver lining in every situation.
5. Consider your purpose – What if all the challenges you face also provide the skills you need to fulfill your life’s purpose? Many of us discover our purpose within our biggest challenges; we have overcome barriers that others are still trying to circumnavigate. Sharing that wisdom can be rewarding and rewarded, and can provide a sense of deep meaning in that work with others.
6. Be present – Though this is not a strength listed in either the VIA or StrengthsFinders assessments, being present is one of our most important tools for managing change. When we’re living in the present moment, we’re not ruminating about the past (which we cannot change) or worrying excessively about the future (most of which we have no control over). By being present, we have access to what would otherwise be wasted time and energy, and a greater ability to decide how to respond in a given moment. We can also choose to foster gratitude and appreciation for what is available to us in the here and now, despite whatever hurdles we may be facing. In fact, the more life feels out of control or even at-risk, the more we can potentially recognize the preciousness of every moment that we have with each other and on our beautiful Earth.
7. Adopt and ask for help – Invite others to join you on what is our shared journey of navigating change and the trials of life. Ask for what you need; be willing to be vulnerable, itself a valuable skill. Offer help when you can, especially if it involves an activity that energizes you. Seek support for your journey, such as therapy, medical treatment, mentors, or wise friends. Avail yourself of learning resources that enables your longitudinal growth, such as those from the Foundation for Family and Community Healing who offers online skill development modules on happiness, wellness, anxiety, and relationship wellbeing to name a few.
The opportunity inherent in our modern global challenges is the invitation to more fully appreciate and more effectively navigate the temporary and beautiful nature of our lives. We can make the most of every moment, taking nothing for granted, and leaning into the wisdom and insight that change offers. We can embrace our shared life-long journey towards a greater sense of wholeness, confidence, and awareness in our life’s purpose, and find solutions together. It starts with a commitment to just take one tiny step at a time, and you may find yourself surprised how far you can go over time.
Susanna Wu-Pong Calvert, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr. Susanna Wu-Pong Calvert, MAPP, PhD is a leader, coach, speaker, entrepreneur, educator, and writer who inspires and enables others to make our beautiful future a reality. She is the Founder and Convener for Mission and Vision at The Foundation for Family and Community Healing, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that helps all to develop the skills needed to create healthy, rewarding, and resilient relationships with ourselves, each other, Earth, and the loving force that unites us. She is a blogger for Psychology Today and hosts Finding Our Fit, a radio show on WRWK93.9 FM. Her mission is to help individuals, organizations, and communities to become their highest selves and fulfill their deepest, most authentic purpose – our spark within that creates ripples throughout. Learn more about her at SusannaCalvert.com. Photo credit: Rebecca D'Angelo
