How to deal with changes

There is a phrase that says “life is like riding a bicycle; you must move to avoid falling“. And reality shows us this every day; We continually find ourselves with new situations that we must face, with changes that we must assume, with losses that we must manage.

But how to face the changes? Is it something simple? What tools can be useful to us? Experts from different fields (psychology, coaching, business…) have given their opinion on this topic and we have turned to some of them to identify some strategies that can help us in managing change.

How to deal with changes

Whether in the workplace, personal, academic… changes happen (although their degree of importance can differ greatly) and they occur almost daily. Learning to manage them can help us grow as people.

However, It is not always easy to adapt to the new situations that life offers us. (especially the unexpected ones). How to do it? We are going to explain 4 key ideas that can help us in this task.

Work on acceptance

Life is full of experiences that we will live, but also obstacles that we will face. Changes, for example, can pose a real threat to our stability. Thus, although a stage of change does not have to be negative (on the contrary, it can actually be an opportunity), the truth is that sometimes changes entail unpleasant or uncomfortable situations, as well as a reorganization of the new reality.

Therefore, working on acceptance can benefit us when facing changes. What does this mean? Basically, adapt to the new reality every dayaccept losses when they come and be aware that only the present moment exists.

César Piqueras, executive coach, trainer and writer, also talks about the importance of acceptance when facing changes. As he himself states: “When we accept we are choosing the path of wisdom, there is no longer complaint, there is no anger, there is acceptance“. Furthermore, in acceptance there is no inhibited energy or resignation.; There is a welcome towards what is to come, towards change.

Look forward

The psychotherapist Demián Bucay affirms that, In exchange situations, it is possible that there is a gain greater than the loss, Although that doesn’t mean we don’t feel pain for what we leave behind. Feeling pain is normal when we must assume that a stage of our life is over, for example.

Therefore, looking forward can help us focus on the situation with greater serenity and awareness. The past will not return, but we have a present (sometimes full of opportunities) that will allow us to build our future.

Change

César Piqueras affirms that There are 4 ways to deal with changes: 1) Resist and complain; 2) Resign yourself; 3) Accept and 4) Change. The most adaptive are the last two, and that is why we are going to focus on them (although sometimes resigning can also be adaptive).

We have discussed the acceptance strategy at the beginning; As for the second, the one that is committed to change, Piqueras suggests that We gain more when we go beyond complaint or resignation. On the other hand, we move forward when we are willing to change what we don’t like.

Thus, although it may sound repetitive, another adaptive way of facing changes is by intervening on what we consider necessary. It is true that changes sometimes leave us little room to modify the course of events with our reaction, but others do; let’s lean on that (or if not, also We can choose to change our view of events or to change ourselves.).

Become aware

Ignacio Martínez, business coach, stands out when facing changes the importance of becoming aware of what we intend to achieve with these changes. In the event that they are changes that we have not voluntarily chosen, we must allow ourselves to feel everything that the new situation generates in us (sadness, anger, anger…), and begin to work on acceptance, when we feel ready for it.

Ignacio also emphasizes that it can be beneficial to be aware of the consequences that not changing would entail, as well as to focus on the opportunities of the new reality or the new context. Although he focuses it primarily on the business environment, we can extrapolate it to other types of situations.

The importance of flexibility and awareness

As we see, There is no single way to face changes, and each person must find their own way. (or use one or the other depending on the situation). Furthermore, not all life changes are the same; There will be important life changes (for example getting married, emigrating, losing a loved one…) and others of lesser impact (changing gyms, having a new best friend…).

However, What matters is the value that each person gives to these types of changes and how they decide to face the new reality.. Having the necessary tools can help us on this path of life that requires mental flexibility, a good dose of awareness and, above all, understanding that life allows us to write a new beginning every day.

Giorgio Nardone, brief strategic psychotherapist, and Paul Watzlawick, psychologist and philosopher, state the following: All change is a process, an art, a constant flow of : thoughts, feelings and emotions. And in this flow (and becoming), we win when we opt for a flexible, conscious and open view.

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