What is it about change that scares the pants off of some people? I don't really care for change much myself. I get very comfortable in my routines and surroundings. I rely on them as a source of stability. When things around me are changing so quickly, I sometimes dig in deeper to hold on to my routines and surroundings. Is it human nature…perhaps for some. But change is inevitable.
I think what scares so many people is the fact that the change happened and they had no control over it- or did they? They felt like they had no control. Now they are forced to make new choices. That is difficult. Whether it is a lay off, restructuring, being passed over for a promotion or raise, these conditions force us to adapt to change. We can rise to the occasion or wallow in self pity. Take the high road and embrace this wonderful new opportunity.
If we are serious about our careers and lives, we should be looking at ways to change ourselves regularly. When we are in control of change, it feels better as well as prepares us to manage unforeseen change more comfortably. Is managing change a skill? The more practice you have, the easier it generally is. So practice handling change. Expect change.
Being comfortable with ourselves professionally and personally may not be, no definitely, is NOT a good thing. We need to continue to learn, develop, grow and modify ourselves, sometimes even re-invent in order to survive in today's volatile world of employment.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
