Sometimes we plan for change and still there are surprises.听Other times, change happens entirely unexpectedly, without听our consent. We are facing both听kinds听as we negotiate our way through the pandemic,听with听all听its twists and turns, and forge forward with changes in platforms听online, technologies, ways of connecting and working.听How can we maintain our power听and stay the course?听It helps to understand how transitions impact us.听听
William Bridges (author of 鈥淭ransitions鈥� and 鈥淢anaging Transitions鈥�), identifies听three stages of transition听that he captures through the image of leaving one shore (ENDING of what was 鈥渒nown鈥� and familiar, characterized by a sense of loss and regret), to finding ourselves out at sea (NEUTRAL ZONE in a kind of 鈥渘o man鈥檚 land鈥� where we feel disoriented, disconnected, anxious) to finally spotting the other shore with gradual, renewed hope (NEW BEGINNINGS).听Many of us may feel like we are floundering at sea听right now,听lacking听certainty听about听the future- what it will bring and when.听
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A few buoys to hold onto while at sea:听
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Not everyone experiences the 3 stages to the same intensity or at the same听speed. Be compassionate and understanding if you are less impacted by negative emotions than others.听听听
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If you experience these emotions intensely, seek help and limit negative stimuli (catastrophizing conversations, submersion in the news鈥�).听 Avoid belittling yourself for your challenges or conversely, getting stuck in blame and judgment of others 鈥撎齪ossibly听blowing something out of proportion听in an attempt to听reduce stress.听
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When we pine for the past, we are often idealizing it 鈥� forgetting the normal challenges that existed.听 KEEP A REALISTIC PERSPECTIVE on what was, and on the pluses and minuses of the current reality.听听听听
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We aren鈥檛 really losing everything when we find ourselves 鈥渁t sea, in the neutral zone.鈥澨� What mattered before听can still be听on board our ship.听Our values 鈥� such as caring for ourselves, our students, our colleagues听for example.听听STAY IN TOUCH WITH WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT and find ways of living your values today.听
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While the new shore may not yet be in sight, we are听definitely heading听for it.听So听don鈥檛 let yourself be听thrown off course听by the blinding fog.听 We will soon find ourselves back in the workplace and听although it may look somewhat different,听this will be history.听 CONSIDER HOW YOU CAN PREPARE FOR THE NEXT STEP 鈥� in your own career, visioning and planning with your team, cross-training, connecting with the evolving needs of your clients, learning something new that will serve you in the 鈥渘ew land.鈥澨�
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