There have been magical moments in my life when the penny dropped, the insight landed, the way forward became clear. I knew what needed to change!
I’ll never forget those moments, often sparked by an unexpected conversation with someone who unlocked the way forward.
Each one fundamentally changed the course of my life. They led to years out, travel, career paths, resignations, redirections and reinventions.
Which makes it sound like the changes were easy. If only!
Knowing what needs to change is a complete gift, but it’s just the start of the journey. It’s important - and brilliant to know - but it rarely comes with a map.
We have to find our own way from where we are to where we want to be, and that can be a daunting feeling.
So, we need all the help we can get to start and keep going (and be kind to ourselves along the way).
A few things that can help with the navigation process:
Celebrate making it to the start line, and put a pin in it to mark the moment. What prompted the change? Why is it important? It’s the foundation you’re building on, and helpful to hold onto when doubts are swirling.
Create a process that works for you. How has change happened for you in the past? What helped you make progress? Are you a plotter or a pantser? A marathoner or a sprinter? What would help you start and keep going?
Find your support team. Is there anyone you can talk to who’s taken a similar path? Who can be a sounding board, a champion, an accountability buddy, a partner in the process, a shoulder to cry on?
Be open and responsive to what shows up along the way - sometimes change looks different to our original idea! There’s often more than one way to get to a destination, and it’s useful to explore a few of them.
Pause for perspective regularly. What have you learned so far? What’s working, what’s not, where do you need to adjust? What can you acknowledge yourself for, and what’s next?
Are you at the start of a change and wondering how to tackle the journey ahead?
Take heart, and a little time to figure out how to find your way in the way that works for you (rather than what other people think you should do, or the way they would go).
It sets you up for a more successful journey, and hopefully makes it more enjoyable too!
Wishing you a wonderful week,
