Autumn is rapidly bearing down. Days are shorter, and here in the Northeastern U.S., the trees have started to showcase the brilliant hues of orange, yellow and red. Summer is behind us and winter, with New England’s promise of frost, then snow, is right around the corner. Short sleeved tops are traded for sweaters. Baseball fades and football ramps up. All these transitions are completed with an almost mindless systematic grace. So many changes, so many things to say goodbye to; but so many things to embrace.
Our transition from one season to the next is typically fluid; after all, it is part of the cycle of life. Some changes are predictable, many are welcome. With each flip of the calendar month comes natural variations in our lifestyles. Our lives our constantly changing- so much so that we really don’t even realize it. Many of these changes, like the seasons, are cyclical. We have learned what we like about the immanent transition, and, as humans do, find things to look forward to- the holidays, the sports, the pumpkin spice….
But why can’t we have that same positive anticipation with every prospective period of change? Human beings are, at their core, flexible and adaptive; but we also find comfort in habit and predictability. That is quite the dichotomy. In our professional lives we must remember this- we all have the amazing ability to adapt and change, and the same talent for creating routine and normalcy in times of chaos. That is a gift that we all share to some degree, and it should be embraced.
Take a moment and reflect on the amount of change you have seen just in your lifetime. What was the world like when you were a child? What was the state of technology? What was considered “routine”? No matter your age, I would venture to guess that it is drastically different than the way things are today. We all changed, we all transitioned, and often we were excited to embrace the next big thing.
We are all capable of learning new things, creating new routines and finding the bright spot in the “new normal”, no matter what that may look like. The world is always changing and just like when the calendar page turns, we need to remember that not all change is negative. There will always be new things to look forward to, and new experiences that will create fond memories. To be inflexible is to grant yourself a disservice. You are flexible by nature, and translating that into your professional environment and practicing that and being open to change will reduce stress and provide you with energy that you can exert elsewhere. After all, worry will always work to your detriment. Be flexible, be adaptable, be open. In the era we now find ourselves, flexibility is as much of a professional skill as computer literacy.
Remember, the mug of Pumpkin Spice coffee is always half full.