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Getting a fresh start
Getting a fresh start
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Welcome to this Fresh Start Podcast episode, where today, we will be talking about how people know when they are ready to face change. I'm Mark Taaffe and joining with me is Casey Schroeder.
We're both licensed therapists with over twenty years of experience in workplace mental health. And we know that 2020 has been full of challenges, to say the least. And that many people, us included, are looking forward to a fresh start in 2021.
So, our goal here today is to provide a way to think through whether or not you're ready to face change. Casey, I have a question for you.
Oh-oh!
(Laughs) Have you ever thought you were ready for change, only to quickly find yourself overwhelmed and ready to give up?
Oh, for sure, yeah. I think we've all done that at some point in our lives. We've bitten more than we can chew. And it's super easy to do when we kind of rush into some big change without really thinking everything through.
Yeah, that's fair. We get excited and dive right in. So, with that in mind, how would someone know they're ready to face change?
Well, I think, before I really answer that question, I think there are two things I want to point out. There's really… We're not able to fully prepare for the change that is thrust upon is, right?
Hmmm… right.
Think about 2020.
Yeah, good example.
You know, like that, thrown at us and we didn't get to really choose to have that change. The second thing that I want to point out is that sometimes, even if we do have that luxury to prepare for the change, we don't really know that we're ready to face it, until we're actually in the change itself.
Yeah, that's a good point. We have to be immersed in it sometimes to fully know if we're ready and there is a lot of unexpected change.
Mhm…
Those are two good points. However, there are things we can do when we know change is coming, when we can prepare for it. And one is taking inventory of our current situation. And an easy way to do that is using the acronym F.A.C.E. It's a brief exercise to help us know if we're ready. Casey, won't you walk us through what this really entails?
Sure. So, this exercise is all about the four letters of F.A.C.E., the first letter being F. Makes you think about Focus. Do you have the focus at this time, to really dedicate, ah, you know, what you have to, to this change?
Yeah, are you being pulled in multiple directions? Maybe, the young family at home and you're care giving for your older parent, and you decide it's time to start a new business. Maybe that's too much to take on. So, where is your focus and where does it need to be right now?
Exactly. And the second letter in F.A.C.E. is A, and that's all about your Attitude. What's your attitude about this change? Is this change something that you really want to do? Is it something that you feel that you have to do? You know, check your attitude about it.
Yeah, if you're feeling like you're being forced to do it, you're not going to maintain the momentum needed. It needs to be something that excites you and makes you eager to dive into.
Exactly, exactly. And then, the third letter in F.A.C.E. is C and that's all about your Capabilities. What kind of capabilities do you have that's going to make this change possible? What are your skills? Do you have to acquire new skills to be successful at this change?
And I think the skills also go into what are our habits. Do we have good habits that allow us to handle the change that's coming our way? And it might be that we need to ask other people. Sometimes, it's other people who can tell us what our strengths are or where we need to improve, because they have that outside opinion.
So, whatever it takes for you to fully understand your capabilities, that's a key piece.
Yeah, for sure, for sure. And then, the last letter in F.A.C.E. is E, and that's all about your energy. You know, change… different change requires different amounts of energy. Some changes are like sprints, where you need a lot of energy all at once. Some are more like marathons, where you need kind of a medium level of energy all the way through for a long period of time. Some change, you know, your energy needs an even flow.
But it's crucial to fully understand the energy level required of you.
Mhm…
Because you don't want to get halfway into change and just realize you can't sustain it. Because that creates more frustration and more resistance to change in the future.
Yeah…
The final thing I want to leave our listeners with is you don't really need to have it all figured out before you start. So, take that leap. Casey, I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite quotes out there about change and it is "The jump is so frightening between where I am and where I want to be because of all I may become, I will close my eyes and leap."
Oh, I really liked that one.
If you'd like to learn more about making change in your life, there's a lot of great content you can check out on this website. If you're looking for additional support, please, reach out to your employee assistance program. Take care and be well everybody.