Your Environment Impacts Everything

May 7, 2017 by ·

Surfside Beach, SCAre You Even Aware?

This week marked a significant new chapter in my life. Several “ingredients” changed overnight. I moved to the Myrtle Beach, SC area. I started a new job. Now I’m surrounding myself with new people. The foods I’ve been eating have not been my normal diet. The amount of exercise I have been accustomed too has been impacted, in a negative way, due to five straight weeks of travel and moving.

How to Handle A New Environment

Over the past 5 1/2 years I have made three VERY significant geographic and career moves and each time I’ve learned a lot of new things. And, in some cases, having to learn some lessons again. If you find yourself in the midst of an environmental change these things will help you.

  1. Dive in head first and go all in.
  2. Don’t second guess your decision.
  3. Don’t let the challenges of learning an abundance of new things overwhelm you. You will learn how to get around the new city. You’ll find a new dentist. You’ll figure out where Starbucks is. You will figure out your new job. You will find a new gym. Whatever you need to learn, you’ll find a way.
  4. Start new habits and create new mindsets. Just because you’re in a new environment doesn’t mean habits and mindsets change automatically. Use the new environment as a catalyst to making needed changes.
  5. Explore your environment and be adventurous.
  6. Be grateful for your previous chapter, from the place you came from but look forward to what’s ahead even more.

Don’t ignore your environment. Embrace and engage with those parts that add value to your life and walk or RUN away from the parts that don’t.

 

Filed Under: Personal Growth · Tagged With: , , , , ,

Disruptions and Transitions

March 29, 2017 by ·

At the beginning of this year, one of the words I chose to frame my year was DISRUPTION. Little did I know when I chose that word that it would raise its head and present itself so quickly and with such force.

When disruption shows up at your door it doesn’t knock and ask if it can come in. No, it kicks the door down and stands in the center of your living room with its head held high. Disruption is not considerate. It does not ask for your permission. Disruption isn’t aware of time – it comes and goes as it pleases. It doesn’t consider your current circumstance or comfort level. Disruption doesn’t care who it impacts or what kind of chaos it causes.

Disruption requires you to change and respond in ways that leave you feeling vulnerable and not totally in control of your life. Disruptions lead to and demand you to transition into something new.

For me, the disruption that recently arrived at my doorstep has come in the way of a new job. This week I’m in transition from a company I’ve thoroughly enjoyed to a new company that has me extremely excited about the future.

Ryan Holiday said, “Don’t be afraid to make a change, a big one.”

When you embrace disruption and change TRANSITION begins. And transition brings about its own unique experiences.

Even if the transition is a good one it will come with a variety of emotion. You might experience a level of depression as you leave behind relationships. It’s normal to be anxious as you transition into something new and in some cases unfamiliar territory.

Transition means one chapter or season of your life is ending and a new chapter or season is beginning. When you can mentally acknowledge and accept this you are in a much better place for the transition to go more smoothly.

Maintaining a positive attitude and looking at the transition as an opportunity for better things in your life is extremely important. You have to keep a vision for the good that the transition can provide. Having realistic expectations during a transition is also critical, don’t expect everything to go as planned. And while some circumstances are out of your control, your attitude and response are totally within your control.

When disruption comes into your life and transition happens to you, embrace it and look forward to the journey.

 

 

Filed Under: Career · Tagged With: , , ,