Page 3 - Inroads Dec 1, 2016
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December 1, 2016 Features Page 3
Moving On
Change is inevitable and usu- “living well in the new old or the forwarding to the end and visu-
ally accompanied by stress. But old new.” We don’t notice this alizing how things will work out
life without change soon becomes stage because we feel comfortable and how long it will take to adjust
boring and stagnant. So while in our new situation. In fact, we to a new situation. We don’t have
most of us cast a wary eye on step- have accepted it and incorporated to get the time frame right, yet vi-
ping outside our routines, growth it into our daily lives so well that sualizing an end helps us see that
requires us to keep moving. After we don’t want it to change. things will work out and we will
all, isn’t that why we’re here at the adjust.
University of New Orleans-to But situations change-again
change? Still, change, even when and again-and recognizing the But does adjustment mean we
it’s for the best, can be difficult. stages of adjustment is only a have no options, that we are pow-
start. We also need to identify erless in the face of change? Not
According to pyschologist things we can do to ease ourselves at all! We get to choose how we
Tamar Chansky, we go through through them. Chanksy suggests, will deal with the changes we face.
three predictable stages when ad- first, that we realign our expecta- And we get to reflect on what is
justing to change. tions. Instead of feeling fantastic, actually changing. Not everything
she says, we can expect to feel just changes at once. For instance,
Dr. Chansky calls the first the opposite. For example, if you you may be graduating, but the
stage “resisting/reacting.” In this are graduating in December like I friends you made at UNO will still
stage we experience doubt and am, you may feel happy, excited, be your friends. Your family will
discomfort as we negatively com- accomplished, or relieved. You still be your family. Grounding
pare our new situation to our old also may be fearful. You may won- ourselves in what isn’t changing
one. We complain and actively der what your next step should be, helps us focus attention and ener-
object. if you’ll be successful, if this job is gy on what is.
a better fit for you than that one,
In stage two, which Chanksy or if you’ll find a job at all. Finally, Chansky recom-
calls “adjusting/exploring,” we mends getting out of our heads
move past our inital feelings of Chansky recommends fast-
doubt and resistance and begin See ‘Moving On’ on page 4
finding ways to make things work
for us. We ask questions, make
choices, and “dig in.”
Finally, and without even no-
ticing it, we slip into stage three,
For more
information about
how to handle change,
check out
Dr. Chansky’s article in
Pyschology Today.
