(etsy.com)
I know, I know, I know it’s been a while, but for just cause. Since I’m a little rusty, I will try to keep this short and sweet. I am very happy to say that all the previous post I have written about preparing for change have come to fruition, and manifested itself into a new job with awesome potential! Even though I am thrilled and so grateful for the opportunity, I must admit that adjusting to this change has been a challenge, and truthfully a lot harder than I thought. Unfortunately, because my eyes and ears are wide open I have been able to feel every angst and bitter truth that comes with it. And as always, I want to share what I have learned.
What I’ve found to be most hilarious about change is things may end up not being as new as you imagined. There may be quite a few similarities to the past for a few reasons. First, because when it comes to progression or lack thereof, a lot of people and businesses take the same steps in an attempt to move forward. Secondly, there really is little originality in the ways company’s use to foster employee engagement, in the catty and plastic personalities of peers that are worn as a badge of honor as a result from watching reality television, or the resentment that is given by those who are thankful for the position, but wish it would have been handed to them sooner. And lastly, as the popular saying goes, there is nothing new under the sun. What also is quite humorous, is how events and people that you never want to think of again somehow find a way to show back up. And, ends up proving that in order for things to stop haunting you from your past, you need to put an end to it mentally so when it shows up again it won’t have the same effect.
Since change in one area may prove to be beneficial, it is easy for us to begin to think that it’s natural order for the other parts of our lives to follow which actually may not need changing. For instance, if for years you have worked hard becoming a person you are proud of, you have to safeguard yourself from allowing new environments to take you backwards. It’s easy to be good in the same old places, the harder thing is to not let a new environments become a negative influence. While a new start may be just what the doctor ordered, a new you isn’t.
New beginnings can also lead you to confirm how you want your next chapter to end, if you are getting closer to it or farther away, and if you previously wasted time trying to fit in at a place that you never should have been. Not too many things, if any deserve the best years of your life just because you are afraid to take a leap of faith. And although it could be a good change, it may not be good enough and it could force you to seek even harder how to make the change that will allow you to become who you want to be. But no matter how good the new is, it still comes with new crap to deal with. New personalities, new agendas, new spirits to adapt to or fight off, and new temptations to resist that previously did not pose as a problem.
What I have learned the most about new beginnings is that change can be great, yet very humbling. Because what undoubtedly ends up being reaffirmed is that you will still need what allowed you to survive before, if not more of it. In other words your past experiences are just as important as your future ones. We need them to help us navigate the new territory.
It takes courage to try something new, even if it is obviously for the better. And yes, it’s a scary thought thinking of possibly having to eat your words, and regret your decisions. But most change if well thought out is for the better, and any bumps in the road like any other can be figured out over time, as long as you keep in mind that with anything there is good and bad.
Ultimately, what defines a new beginning as successful is if you can see how you will be rewarded in the long run. Keep this in mind when things go slightly unexpected, are boringly predictable, or completely different than imagined because it’s worth it!
Here’s to endless possibilities…
Rachel Bryant Lundy
