Colleen Walsh Jednak is an expert in happiness, holistic health, and creating blueprints for a balanced life. She is the founder of Strong Mamas, LLC.
We all remember the famous scene from the sitcom “Friends” in which Ross was trying to get a couch up a very narrow staircase in NYC and was shouting with greater intensity as the challenge proved more difficult by the moment. However, does yelling “pivot,” or any other command really work when you or your friends/family/colleagues are already feeling stressed? The answer is a resounding “no.”
What might prove more effective when life calls for a change in direction? Have you ever felt the need to make a change at work or at home but felt paralyzed? What might be causing this roadblock? Often, we feel concerned that people will be disappointed or angry with us, and this keeps us locked in place. Other times, we are afraid of the unknown. We may just feel too busy to take the necessary steps to put the process in motion.
How to be a change-maker and pivot
Take some quiet time to define the problem. Is it work? Your living situation? Family? Financial? Regardless of the issue, you are unlikely to make a change if you cannot spell out your goals. Do not rush through this stage.
Once you have assessed the challenge, what would you like to do to change it? Listen to your gut. Our intuition is often right on the money when it comes to figuring out what we really need. Do you need to change jobs? Sleep more? Move? Give yourself the space to figure this out. You will know when you have arrived at the correct solution.
Action time! As Ross found out in the Friends episode, yelling at the people trying to assist us is rarely helpful. Talking to mentors, a trusted friend, or a professional may help you to decide which direction and steps to take. Write them down. If there is a cost involved, create a budget. This will help you to succeed and to reduce stress.
Take the steps. Baby steps. Create a timeline and commit to it. Do not overthink it. If your plan is not working, go back and make adjustments, but do not give up on yourself! Change is hard when you try to do it all at once or by yourself. This is why we reached out to trusted others to form a team and a game plan.
Assess your progress along the way. Breathe. Keep going. Look around, are you on course? The baby steps help keep you on track. You can pivot. You can do this.
Reach out to your team when you need to. If you need a laugh, you can always yell pivot. Daydream about what your success will look like. Write it down. Succeed, and then smile at your success. You can do hard things. You can change and grow.
How do I know? I have pivoted, changed, moved, grown, altered my course, glittered, wept, and succeeded. I know you can too!
Read more from Colleen Walsh Jednak
Colleen Walsh Jednak, Life Coach, Happiness Coach, Writer/Speaker, Lifestyle Coach
Colleen Walsh Jednak is an expert in happiness, holistic health, and creating blueprints for a balanced life. She is the founder of Strong Mamas, LLC and has been helping mothers of all ages decrease their feelings of stress while improving their physical and emotional health. Her mission is Health, Hope, and Happiness.
