[CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED] Managing Transitions - Part 2 http://ezezine.com In this issue, a further look at the challenges of Transition and strategies for dealing more effectively with Transitions. CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED! From Turning Point Strategies and Lyle T. Lachmuth Please do FORWARD Creative Careers Unleashed to Interested colleagues in your network. You’ll find links to join and leave this newsletter at the end. MANAGING TRANSITIONS – Part 2 Last issue I looked at two of the major challenges you could face during Transition. This issue I’ll look at two more of the bigger challenges that could make your transition tougher and more painful. Here goes. . . ======================================================================= HOT LINKS Recapture your zest and your life. Learn how to Manage Your Energy™ http://www.uc.dianalindstrom.com Richard Nelson Bolles companion site to What Color is Your Parachute --> http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/ Explore your interests. Discover your Occupational Type. Are you an Artistic, Investigative, Social, Enterprising, Realistic, or Conventional type? --> http://www.careerkey.org/cgi-bin/ck.pl?action=choices ======================================================================= MANAGING TRANSITIONS – Part 2 Let’s remember: Transition is about the journey, and to some degree the path, we take from where we are to where we want to be. But even more it’s about how we handle that journey at a psychological, emotional, and spiritual level. It’s a process in the following way: You will go through predictable steps (I highly recommend Bill Bridges little book Transitions which elegantly describes this process and possible impacts). But, how long you spend in each phase and how each phase affects you personally is very unique, and very individual. It’s not rational. It’s not predictable – except to say that you WILL be affected by transition. But, the good news is you can do it smoother and better if you understand the nature of transition and the things that can affect you. Last issue we looked at two challenges that might affect how painful transition is for you. We talked about: one, how you handle the loss of identity associated with transition, and, two, how well you deal with loss and confusion. What are some of the other challenges you might face during the transition? And, what can you do about them? ======================================================================= QUOTES "You don't have to be the Dalai Lama to tell people that life's about change." – John Cleese "One sometimes finds what one is not looking for." – Sir Alexander Fleming “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” -- Mahatma Gandhi “If you’re in a rut be careful of the wagon wheel coming your way!” -- Anonymous ======================================================================= MANAGING TRANSITIONS, Part 2 – continued So, what are some other challenges you could face in making a major career shift? #1 Ennui, Apathy, Depression Thanks again to my son who suggested this challenge (can you tell he’s a writer?) This is a biggee. If not THE biggee. You’ll often see articles about transition portraying it visually as if you were looking at a cross section of a canyon or ravine. This suggests that transition is about descending into some deep valley or pit. And, that’s sure how it feels. It’s not the descent into ennui, apathy, or depression that’s the problem in transition. It WILL happen. You will feel bored and like you don’t give a cr-p. You will lack energy and motivation. You will feel alone, sad, and even the Big D. These feelings are to be expected, in a sense they are “normal”. Actually, they signify something good. Because depression and it’s gentler siblings ennui and apathy are feelings/emotions that force us inside ourselves. They force us to attend to soul and heart matters. That is, if we pay attention to them. The real problem in transition is not these feelings but the fact that so many of us get STUCK at the bottom of the transition journey. So, what can you do if you feel stuck at the bottom of transition valley? A) Write What other advice did you expect from a writer? Seriously, one of the best things you can do when you’re feeling stuck is to write. Write in your journal. Write poems. Write letters to friends (but don’t mail them). Writing taps into the inner self, sometimes even the inner muse. Your writing will tell you what’s on your mind and what you need. Pay attention to what shows up repeatedly. B) Act On Your Intuitions You’ve taken the time to explore your desires and dilemmas in writing. You have some ‘intuitions’ about what you might want to do or be. Act on it, even if only in small ways. Say, you think you might want to be pilot. Go do some research on the occupational requirements for pilots. Better yet, use your network to find a real life pilot you can talk to. Nothing gets you out a rut like honouring our intuitions/intentions by acting on them. C) Move, Act While it’s important to feel our feelings, sad as they are. And, while it’s critical to understand that they are leading us inside where we need to be. Negative feelings have an amazing sticking power. It’s like being caught in quicksand. We’re sucked in and we can’t get out. That’s why exercise can get us out of that depressive state. In fact research has shown that people can lift themselves out of depression just by forcing themselves to smile on and off all day. Pretty easy exercise. My favourite exercises are walking and swimming. What’s yours? DO IT! One more Transitional dilemma in a minute but first a word from a valued affiliate. ======================================================================= DO YOU WISH YOU HAD MORE ENERGY? Do you drag your butt through the day? Do you wake up tired? Go to bed exhausted? Has your life lost its zest? Sadly you’re not alone! More than 20,000,000 Americans and 1,000,000 Canadians lack the energy they need to live their lives. Are you one of them? You can get your energy back. And, you can add more zip to your life. I know because I did. And, I did it through the simple, easy to learn, tips shared with me by a wonderful colleague Diana Lindstrom. Diana knows what it’s like to have to carefully watch every step and monitor every move. You see Diana is a Post Polio Survivor. If she doesn’t manage her energy… she doesn’t walk! She doesn’t get out of bed. And, she doesn’t get to do what she loves. Over the last year Diana was kind enough to share he story and her secrets with me. And, now you can learn how to manage Your Energy™ Read more about the Manage Your Energy™ program here: http://www.uc.dianalindstrom.com ======================================================================= MANAGING TRANSITIONS, Part 2 - continued #2 EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE This is a real big one. I’m not going to be able to give it full attention this issue. But, I do want to get started. If there’s any time that ‘baggage’ is going to show up and bite you in the behind – it’s during transition. You can be cruising along, everything rosy, when out of nowhere you find yourself in a rage or weeping or just feeling crazy and out of control. Why? Something, someone, some event has triggered your baggage. What is baggage? Well, it’s several things but for the sake of this discussion I’m going to talk about what it is most often: unfinished business, unresolved emotions. For example, when you left your job (or our spouse) your ex treated you very poorly and you didn’t assert yourself. So, you’re left with unresolved anger and resentment and maybe even disgust (at yourself and the other person). Then suddenly today something happens that taps into that feeling… and you’re off! What can you do to Handle Baggage? A) Pay Attention Notice the situations and people that trigger repeated explosions of feelings. Trace them back to past situations. You can try to avoid these situations or... B) Breath and Act When you find yourself in a trigger situation: Breath. Breath some more. Identify a different way of acting. Try it out. If it works, great. If not, walk away for awhile. C) Seek help Baggage can be small and light or big and heavy. Don’t try to carry on alone. Get a coach of a therapist. Contact me at LyleTLachmuth@Gmail.com?Subject=EndThePain to discuss how Unsticking Coaching can help take away the pain of transition and change I hope you found these answers useful. Please tune in next issue when I’ll talk about Overcoming Pain. See you December 1st, Lyle Lachmuth MSOD, CDP, CRT (Hons) The Unsticking Coach (TM) Your Talents > Your Career >> Your Life >>> Your Way! Turning Point Strategies Box 72140 RPO Glenmore Landing | Calgary, AB CANADA T2V 5H9 T: 403-390-4768 | E: LyleTLachmuth [at] Gmail.com =================================================================== ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER Join or leave this list here: http://home.ezezine.com/72/ Past issues here: http://home.ezezine.com/72/ PRIVACY POLICY: I collect your name and contact information solely to enable me to send you this newsletter and other information on a periodic basis. I will not rent, trade, or sell your name and contact information to anyone, at any time, for any reason! CAVEAT: CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED and its publisher, are not engaged in providing therapy. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety only, including copyright, legal, and contact information and with live links. Copyright 2005 Turning Point Strategies and Lyle T. Lachmuth