Adapting to change Intro Change is inevitable.

Though many people want to fight and want to avoid change, they can never escape change. Like death, taxes and time, nobody can get away from change. We see different cars, people, the street in front of our house and so on, which indicate that change is unavoidable. Adaptation to change is one of the most important criteria for the wellness of the mind and body. Change brings in new concepts, new opportunities and poses formidable challenges. Change is one which brings in a difference, a novelty of variety with respect to products, services or people. Change is a result of modification or alteration. While change can happen every day in a persons life, every person experiences and adopts to change in a generalised process. Experiencing change can be shown in seven typical stages: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Shock and surprise Denial and Refusal Rational Understanding Emotional Acceptance Exercising Realization Integration

Hence we see that a persons adoption to a change is a lengthy process, and that helping a person to go into the rational understanding i.e. the 3rd phase is one of the most important steps for a psychologist taking on such a case. Change is accepted in a different pace by different kinds of people. The pace of personal change depends on factors described as: Safety: The need to feel secure before trying something new. Specificity: The need to start small and be specific Age: One may be less able to make changes and to adapt as one gets old Time: Allows one to break old habits Attitude: Ones beliefs that he cant change or can change

While adapting to different kinds of change is difficult in various degrees, because the change itself can be minor or drastic, it can be fomented by help from a counsellor. Counselling is a great way to improve the adaptation to change and the counsellors role in this organic process can be helping cognitive growth which will open infinite opportunities to improve the self. This can be done through self-awareness, self-analysis, high self-esteem and thus making the self efficacious. Adaptation to change by a person can be successful, but key points must be kept in mind: 1. The hardening of ones attitude is the hardest thing to change. Attitudes that resist change kill it fast. 2. Self-confidence comes from conquering fear of change. High self-esteem can be a major factor in the change adaptation process. 3. Fear of success as well as fear of failure may stop the person from setting appropriate goals. 4. Not only giving positive strokes to oneself, but also self-criticism pave way for change. 5. Negative reaction instead of positive response to change results in failure and hence is to be avoided. A shift in behaviour of a person is necessary for the change to be effective. FROM Being closed Suppressing feelings Being defensive Conventional Being suspicious Being guarded Being rigid Shallow perceptions Being guarded TO Being open Expressing feelings Accepting feedback Experimentation Trusting others Being spontaneous Being flexible Deep perceptions Being spontaneous

Adaptation to change can be much more easier if an individual follows some important points: Change is inevitable. Accept it, get used to it. It can be the change in personal or professional sphere of life, but not adapting to it, and living in the past will only make things difficult for you. Living in denial is not natures way of dealing with change, and neither should it be yours. Being prior informed is the way to go in todays workplace. Be alert and on the lookout for any hints and notions that change is on the way. Form strategies for adapting to it. Be dynamic in todays fast paced life. Anticipation of change process and trying to get to the acceptance level of change is imperative for any person experiencing change. Adapting to change can be made easier if you communicate with people. Acquaintance with change is highly necessary, which is not possible if communication and understanding of the change is done by the person. To adjust to the new types of environment formed takes time. But do not be rigid, and keep a positive outlook on the whole process. Rigidness of attitude leads to resisting change, which in turn affects mental health of a person. A positive outlook of the whole scenario will help a person find a better way to cope with the change. Also it will offset uncertainty which will keep you focussed and interested in the whole process of adapting and inculcating change in yourself. All these measures taken to adapt effectively to change will in fact make the process much easier and it will be easier to find ones identity and locate oneself in the new scenario.