by Joyce Henderson, RN

Dealing With Change

"When one door closes another door opens; but if we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us." -- Alexander Graham Bell

Change is a major source of stress. Change challenges you to let go of the past, especially the comfortable, old ways of doing, to accept new challenges and opportunities for growth. There is an illusion that you can manage change by controlling the world around you, however, change is most effectively managed from within. Mohandas Gandhi explained, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Approach changes with a plan, a method of creative problem-solving. See problems as situations in need of improvement. Goals are the ways to improve the situation and programs or plans are the means by which goals are achieved.

Mastering change involves looking at the world through new lenses. Alexander Graham Bell wrote, "When one door closes another door opens; but if we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us."

The first step is to seek inner stability. Maintain the calm of an open mind, encourage flexibility in the face of rigidity, and be willing to abandon former perceptions and security blankets. Change, like stress, can be beneficial when harnessed

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