New Beginnings

How does it make you feel when you think of starting something new? It could be a new job, a new relationship or even starting a new life in a new country.

Beginnings are always exciting for me, the fact is that most often they are the end result of some previous efforts. My first job was for me a testament that I am qualified enough to get hired and be paid for my capabilities. As time passes, the excitement is replaced with challenges and new learnings. A new chapter of our life starts willing us to become a new person.  With every new career path comes period of ups and downs that can lead to promotion, redundancy and even termination.

Relationships are often the most challenging aspect of our lives. Facebook may have made the announcement of a new relationship status seem simple enough, but this is again a time of much trepidation mingled with a mountain of expectations. In every new relationship  we find a mixture of happiness and fear. The fear of the unknown and the intricacies involved in making it a success.

Travelling to a new place is another thing that takes many of us out of our comfort zone. Some people love the adventure and some shy away from it. Especially leaving your home and moving to settle in a new country is no small feat. Holidays and fun trips are pleasure driven while immigrating can be a very exhausting and emotionally draining experience.

All new beginnings herald change. Change is the only constant in our lives and we have no choice but to deal with it in the best way we know. Adapting to change is an art that demands a lot of energy.  Sometimes we find ourselves out of our depth and need support to think out of the box; to understand why we are unable to break free from a vicious cycle.

The three most important things that have helped me to survive and deal with change are;

• Keeping a positive outlook

I try to find my ray of sunshine in the most bleak situations. Even the tiniest bit of positivity helps me to keep me going. I practice gratitude and have faith.

• Keeping an eye on the goal

I do not lose sight of my goal. I take responsibility for where I am at that point in time. I know my own choices have a big role to play in my situation so I accept that and just focus on achieving my goal.

• I am curious and open to new thoughts

A big part of accepting change is being open to new ideas. I absorb my new surroundings and learn by observing people and how they behave.

I would love to know how you deal with change.

If you wish to talk about the challenges you may be facing because of any particular change you are dealing with now then please  contact us. Read Shaista’s story for a glimpse of her journey.