Exercises in Embracing Job Change

Exercises in Embracing Job Change
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Get Motivated

People tend to resist change until they understand how it will help them. Find concrete reasons for changing jobs that you can include in your resume rather than just

changing out of boredom. Instead, identify what you hope to gain from changing jobs and how it will make your life. When based on solid reasoning and worthwhile goals, you will be motivated to accept change in your life. In fact, you will begin to demand it.

When change is not your idea, such as internal changes in the workplace, motivation may be more difficult to find, especially if your employer is being less than transparent about the reasons for the reorganization. If possible, meet with your manager to learn more about the changes that are taking place to see what opportunities the changes hold. Once you learn how the changes at the office offer you new opportunities for advancement and achievement, you will find it much easier to accept them.

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Be Optimistic

Changes in the workplace don’t always mean that something bad will happen, so you may need to change the way you think. Your new boss may turn out to be a friendly, congenial asset rather than a workforce reducing numbers-fixated taskmaster. When your best friend leaves the organization, you may feel like you will be alone from now on and there’s no reason for working or living, but your new coworker may prove to be equally amicable as your former associate.

Terminations and layoffs are always difficult to accept when they happen to you, but if you remain optimistic, you can embrace the changes that lie ahead in your life as opportunities for personal and career growth. In short, force yourself to adopt positive thoughts about challenges and change and you will find that your life will be much better through the experience.

Get Help with Change

If changing circumstances at the office are worrying you, take the initiative and see a counselor to get advice and guidance for dealing with an environment that is in a state of flux. Talking with a professional will give you an outlet for your concerns but also an opportunity to develop the coping skills necessary to not only survive changes at work, but how to flourish through them.

Similarly, leaving a job injects stress in your life as well as accepting a new one. A career counselor or workshop can help support you through the transition so that you can continue enjoying your work and your life. If you are taking a new position with lower pay and benefits, change may be particularly hard on you, so finding some support may be essential in maintaining a healthy outlook on life.

Believe in Yourself

Some people feel threatened by change because they rely on familiar, stable surroundings to give them a sense of security. When you have confidence in yourself, you value every experience in life as an adventure that does not threaten you because you know that you can survive and thrive in the midst of any circumstances. Finding an anchor for your life within yourself may be a challenging accomplishment, but with professional and spiritual guidance you can arrive at the point where you feel peaceful and secure no matter what changes occur at the office.

From change management theories we know that change is inevitable, so combine a conscious awareness of the need to embrace it with a motivated, positive outlook to embrace change and become a better person because of it.