I suck at change, which is rather ironic when you are a small business owner. Change is the norm. Over the years, I have adapted several ‘coping’ mechanisms to offset my OCD tendencies.
Find a sounding board:
When I am hit with something unexpected, I immediately phone a friend. I let that person know what my gut reaction is and how I want to immediately respond. That individual then talks me off the ledge and encourages me to find a more rational solution.
Walk away:
If you know your response is going to be ugly or if you are simply at a loss for words…just walk away. Smile, nod and say “well this comes as a surprise, I am going to need sometime to process this information.” There is no better answer in the immediacy then simply “I don’t know.”
Process:
Once you receive the information, whatever it may be, just sit down and think. I usually write up the top 3 things that terrify me about the ‘change’ and then the possible solutions to those changes. When you take a break and just sit down by yourself, you suddenly realize you might actually know a little bit about what you are doing.
Google it:
Go ahead and laugh…but I swear their is nothing the Google can’t solve. There is always a company or individual out there that is having the same challenge as you and took to the Internet to voice their frustrations.
Deep breath:
Just the other day, I went for a walk to clear my head. I took deep breaths and tried to enjoy the crisp Fall air. Change your surroundings and give yourself a change of pace. When you feel like you have hit a wall, just breath.
It is a constant struggle for me to accept change. The following quote from Reinhold Niebuhr, a U.S. theologian, really hits the nail on the head for me.
Lord, grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
How do you cope with change?
