Schuetz

Managing change begins with understanding that many of our expectations in life will go unfulfilled. In other words, in any given place, on any given day, at any given time, unexpected life change can blow up in our face, leaving us feeling lost, confused, and angry because things didnt go according to plan. Suddenly, we arent furthering anything in our life that we value or cherish. Its not the challenge or life change that kills our progress and causes suffering its our reaction to it, and wed better know the difference.

I learned the difference while working in the explosives business. I was involved in a wildlife project, creating lakes by blasting huge craters into the marsh. As the lead man on the job, I continuously reminded everyone what to do if we were faced with the challenge of being caught in the path of flying debris. The instructions were simple: Dont run. People have been killed while running away because they get hit from behind by debris they never saw coming. Lets stay alert and stay alive!

One particular day, in the instant I pushed the fire button on the blasting machine I immediately knew we were in deep trouble. The marsh shot up and toward us like a giant wall of mud, stumps and trees.

My instant reaction was to run. In fact, I turned and instantly broke into a full stride! Moments later, debris was hitting the ground around me. Unable to dodge what I couldnt see, I stopped and turned around to avoid being hit. Fortunately when the dust settled, I was still alive, and able to take away a valuable insight about change management during times of challenge and sudden, difficult, unpleasant adversity.

Even though I repeatedly said, Dont run. Stay alert and stay alive, my reaction to the blast was to run. Even though my desire was to stay alive, my reaction was leading me to certain death. In the same moment I wanted one thingI was sabotaging my success and creating just the opposite.

Although you may not deal with the challenge of explosions and flying stumps and debris, you likely have your share of adversity and setbacks from time to time at work, home, and in your relationships.

Being your best in the midst of unpleasant life change, requires that you be aware of and accept responsibility for your sabotaging reactions, so you can choose more productive responses going forward.

Although my reaction of running was understandable, thats not the issue here. The issue isnt Are our reactions to challenges and adversity understandable? The most pressing issue is, Do our understandable reactionscreate desired outcomes?

When that answer is No, we can choose a more life-giving change management response to our life challenge. In my case, in the instant I stopped running and turned around to dodge the debris, I went from reacting to my life challengeto responding to it. I went from being completely out of control of my destinyto much more in control of it. As a result, I got more of what I desire and value staying alive!

What challenges have you been dealing with lately? How have you been reacting to adversity? Are any of your reactions understandable, but also unproductive? Do your reactions ever take you farther away from what you desire, value, and cherish? Are you unknowingly sabotaging yourself, your life, work, relationships, health, finances, or future? How could you find out? Who could you ask? From whom could you get feedback that you trust and respect? What could you do to make a turn-around?

In the spirit of creating a life you love with change management, unless you look for self-sabotaging patterns during times of unexpected adversity, youll never be able to find them to make an adjustment.

Copyright 2007

This article content is from Bill Dyer's Award-Winning Book,
How To Bounce Back And Be Happy When Life Blows You Down.
The award-winning book is available at: http://www.bouncebackandbehappy.com

FREE info on "257 Ways To Appreciate This Moment And Create A Life You Love", is also available at the above website by scrolling down to the Time-Out box.

Bill Dyer
Professional Speaker/Award-Winning Author
http://www.billdyer.com
336-379-0777