Managing change

Life is a series of challenges - whether we like it or not! Some people enjoy stability and prefer things to remain constant. Others are only happy when they're on the move.

Whoever you are, it is inevitable that you will be faced with major events in your life that will almost certainly lead to transition.

Many people are afraid of change and transitions. They are filled with a sense of unease when faced with change in their lives, jobs or careers. But transition isn't always negative. Many transitions are extremely enjoyable or produce positive results. At the very least, a transition which appears negative on the surface can often turn out to be a valuable learning experience, as the following quote illustrates:

'Losing my arm at 21... made me a stronger character with great determination but most of all it made me realise what was and was not important in life.'
Chris in his 60s

So the first rule of good transition management is to learn to look on every transition or challenge as an opportunity to make something positive happen in your life.

'Death of [my] father resulted in reconnecting with [my] brother and three nephews after 15 years of separation - massive at the time, but more good things than bad have distilled from the haze.'
Klaus in his 50s

'My father's death at 62 gave me my first focus on what did I want out of my working life, my early thoughts about retirement were formed.'
Ian in his 50s

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