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Sample CUSTOMIZED Great Days e-Tips™
This CUSTOMIZED e-Tip was written for
a company that was in transition. Some employees were on the A team and were being let go
because of downsizing; others were on the B team and were staying.
Great Days E-Tips
Special Edition for ABC Company
Vol.1-4 2004
Change for the Better? Maybe So…
by Julie Alexander
“The only person who likes change is a wet baby.”
I recently attended a reunion of my high school graduating class. I refuse to divulge how many
years ago we all marched across the football field to receive our diplomas. Let’s just
say that it was long ago enough that everyone had changed considerably. As I entered the hotel
ballroom, I asked myself, “Who are these old people?” I was convinced that I had
arrived at the wrong place or was there on the wrong night. Surely this couldn’t be the
reunion of my classmates!
But alas, it was. I was in the right place at the right time. The issue was that we had changed;
every one of us had morphed. The once-perky cheerleaders and the plainest of Janes now looked
pretty much the same. There was little difference between the hunky football heroes and the nerdy
science fair winners. Time had leveled us. No longer pimply teenagers, we were now all middle-aged
adults. And, interestingly enough, I concluded that most of us had changed for the better – maybe
not in appearance but certainly in our attitudes toward our former classmates. People who had
never spoken to each other during the high school years, people who would have never given each
other the time of day back then, chatted jovially and enjoyed each other’s company on a
brand new level.
Let’s face it – change can be good. Most of us can recall circumstances that required
a change, either a change that was forced upon us or one that we chose to make. And isn’t
it good to realize that many of those changes – even the ones that seemed so difficult
at the time – turned out for the best.
There is something about change, though, that scares us, something that causes us to resist
it, to dig in our heels and go kicking and screaming into the next phase of life or work. I’m
convinced that the two things that cause us to resist change are fear and laziness.
We oppose change because we’re afraid of the unknown and of moving out of our comfort
zone. Fear paralyzes. The “what if” questions haunt us. “What if I fail?” “What
if I can’t adjust?” “What if I’m not good enough?” “What
if it’s too hard?” “What if I hit a dead end?” ‘What if I can’t
make it?”
We also oppose change because it can be difficult, and we human beings have a strong resistance
to doing anything that requires serious effort. Oh, how we love our comfort zone! It’s
as soft, warm and cushy as a down comforter or a feather bed on a cold winter morning. Learning
new skills and adapting to new ways of doing things is hard and often harsh. It can make us feel
lost, scared, awkward, vulnerable, and yes, even stupid, as we stumble to get over the learning
curve. And feeling lost, scared, awkward, vulnerable or stupid is not high on our list of fun
things to do. Climbing out of our rut or our routine is tough; it challenges us and makes us
sweat.
Whether you are on the A team or the B team here at ABC Company, you are currently experiencing
major change. Here are four ideas that can help.
1.
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Realize that change is inevitable. |
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We wake up in a brand new world every day. Change is going to take place
whether you like it or not, so you might as well get ready for it. Acceptance, rather than
resistance, diminishes stress. Flexibility, rather than rigidity, diminishes fear. Remember,
those who can’t bend, break.
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2.
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There’s a chance that the change in your life or work may be
positive! |
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We all can think back to something that happened to us which seemed – at
first – to be a bummer, but which turned out to be the very best thing that could have
happened. (I remember an old boyfriend or two who ripped my heart out and stomped it flat.
But after seeing them at that reunion, how happy I am that I didn’t end up with either
one!) |
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3.
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Have great expectations. Expect good things to happen. |
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The Law of Attraction says that we draw people and circumstances to us by our thoughts.
Think – and believe – that good things are just around the corner. Who knows?
Maybe they are! |
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4.
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Remember: Changes and transitions are normal, and human beings are
capable of adapting to just about anything. |
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Think of all the changes you’ve already experienced – learning
to talk, walk, feed and dress yourself. Growing up, going to school, learning to drive,
moving out on your own, getting a job, changing jobs, learning new skills, supporting yourself,
finishing your education – each one of these experiences represents change. And guess
what? You adapted to every single one.
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I recently saw a bumper sticker that read, “Change is inevitable – except from a
vending machine.” Stay flexible. Stay adaptable, and embrace change.
Here’s something to think about…
“ A bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to
make the turn.”
Make the turn…and make it a GREAT DAY.
© Julie Alexander
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