By Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson
Whether we like it or not, the past few years handed us a big old heaping helping of change, and it was the one side dish we couldn’t refuse.
We had to ingest it and work to successfully process it, even if we didn’t order it.
- Some of us portioned it correctly, chewed on it and digested it with minimal side effects.
- Others chewed way too aggressively and didn’t appropriately digest it, either spewing it back out or having dealt with moderate side effects. Then they had to start over again.
- And there were those who didn’t deal at all with their portion of change, and in some unfortunate cases, that challenge dealt with them in very harsh ways.
I may be painting a picture of the pandemic and its fallout in this example, but, if you read carefully, I just laid out the map for how we will all deal with the change that confronts us.
Either we accept and process; inadequately attack and regurgitate; or, we don’t deal effectively at all.
Our response, I believe, is closely tied to our mindset.
The time to prepare for any change is before it happens. Those who are most prepared are paying attention to their lives and the direction that it leads.
For instance, when’s the last time you’ve sat down and done an honest assessment of your life – where you are currently, where you’re going and where you’ve been?
Because, once you begin to assess, you’ll gain valuable information about you.
And that information can help predict (or in some cases prevent) patterns. Those patterns put us on a pathway to either success or failure.
Did you catch the value in that?
If we look closely, we can predict exactly where we’re going. But we must make the time to see it.
How many of us are in the rut of rising each day, and much like robots, doing the same thing day in and day out, all while desiring a new beginning?
- We complain about going to work, but we won’t make the time to take the necessary classes to increase our skillset.
- We regret not spending enough time with our loved ones, but we’re too afraid to schedule the meeting with our supervisor and ask for more time off or negotiate a compromise in our schedule.
- We desperately desire a raise, but we’re too insecure to apply for the new position because we inwardly fear change.
Life keeps moving and if you’re not bold enough to ask for what you want, you can settle for mediocrity for good.
What do you have to lose by at least trying or asking for what you want?
Change is coming…and as I always say, it’ll either work for you or against you.
With a few adjustments and a winner’s mindset, you can use change to positively impact your life for good
This isn’t a criticism, rather a call to start paying attention to what your life is showing you.
As always, I’m cheering for you. And I’m here if you need to talk.
Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson is a life coach, author and speaker. Her column appears each month online and in The Birmingham Times. You can contact Keisa at keisasharpe@yahoo.com and visit http://www.allsheanaturals.com for natural hair and body products.
