Navigating Big Changes
Tips on managing the overwhelm that comes with life changes like...taking over a company
When life takes very big unexpected turns that cause rippling effects on every other aspect of your life, it can be overwhelming and stressful. Sometimes any change, no matter how big can be daunting as well. So I’ve got some tips for you if you’re dealing with changes; these practices are helping me in the midst of big changes myself.
It’s not very common that an event such as this happens to people, but I found out this past week that I HAVE to take steps to manage my parent’s company with plans in the next 4 or so years to become the CEO (unless something down the line changes to make this not the case). Long story short, some M&A deals fell through, my parents need to retire, and hundreds of employees’ livelihoods are at stake. My parents can’t just shut down the business. I was shocked by this news! Here I was plodding along my own journey with my own plans for my career to go in another direction. Then kaboom!! I hear the news that I have to do something completely different for my career! I know almost nothing about their company, let alone the industry. Yikes! And, this also means I have to possibly move from California to Florida and split some of my time in China. What?!
That’s the context of what happened over the last week and just in case you’re curious about what this experience is like, here’re the emotions and thoughts I went through over the last week. It was truly a roller coaster.
Complete shock and inability to let the news fully sink in.
Lots of crying from having to let go of my dream of having my own life coaching business (at least for the time being) and feeling the gravity of suddenly having a huge weight of responsibility for this big undertaking fall unto my lap. There goes my plans for having a chiller life.
Anxiety and stress about what the heck am I going to do and where am I going to start, meaning I got much less sleep.
Acceptance and realizing this is real because I had to book a business trip to Denmark the next day for less than a week from now and my dad asked me if I’m ready to go into the office on Monday. And…subsequently telling my current employer that I have to quit.
Tada! Magic turning point after doing some inner work: Feeling more centered and grounded after realizing it was futile for me to create more stress than is needed by thinking too much about it before I even got started. Knowing I’m going to be ok, I’ll just start to scope out the situation and figure it out from there.
Feeling more confident after talking to a few friends and getting a pep talk where they reminded me that I’m a badass who is capable and smart, and has made it through big changes and big career leaps before. That I have it in me to do it and they wouldn’t say this to just anyone.
Feeling more curious and excited about this opportunity by seeing the possibility that down the road I could incorporate or even coach employees in ways that are meaningful and impactful such as transforming the culture of the company to align with my own values and their values, empowering women leaders, or implementing even more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, etc.
Feeling a sense of calm knowing that I’ll just keep taking the next best step and that’s the best that I can do so I don’t need to plan too far ahead or worry too much.
Feeling nervous but also empowered and ready! Knowing I just have to take this in small strides, that I can start out as a Director and manage a couple of departments, and know that I’ll still have my dad around for a few years to help me out. Lastly, telling myself I just have to “keep the lights on” and not have to think about implementing any new changes in the beginning. This feels much more manageable!
So how did I reach this turning point? By returning back to center, becoming self-aware of what was going on, and reaching answers about what is best and most helpful for me in this moment. To help you navigate your changes, I’ve posed some questions below that you can brew on!
What can you do to make your situation more manageable for yourself? What is the smallest and simplest step you can take?
What stressors or worries are you ruminating over and holding onto that are unhelpful for now? Let’s assume that it’s going to be better than the worst-case scenarios you are imagining. Can you trust that if and when the time comes, you would be able to deal with whatever situation arises?
How have you navigated change before? What was it like? How did you get through it? What did you do and what worked in helping you manage that change before?
If you realize that you are cycling through lots of ideas, to-dos, feelings, and thoughts, does it help most to write them down, record a voice memo, and/or chat with friends about it so that you can release it from yourself?
What are the positive and exciting opportunities that come with your change?
What are fun and/or relaxing things you can do to help yourself center and ground into the present?
I’d love to hear from you! Share some of your answers. Let me know what was most helpful or what has worked for you even if it’s different from what I’ve suggested. And feel free to share what change you are navigating in your life!
Here are ways you can support me and my work:
If you love this newsletter, get value out of it, and want to support the time and work that goes into these posts, consider donating to me by become a paying subscriber even if you don’t get anything extra. You’ll encourage me to continue what I’m doing!
Shop for stickers and prints of my artwork via RedBubble. I get a cut of what you buy.
Follow me on Instagram @tidbitsfromliwei