written by Corey L. Stokes
I am not sure about you, but for me, this year has sped by. Of course with my extended vacation, more than half of my year was spent in another country. Shortly after I returned, from that trip, there has been a constant theme of change surrounding me. One of my favorite sayings that I like to say is, the only thing that is guaranteed in this world is that things will change. The only thing that we can do is fight it or embrace it. If you have ever tried to fight change, you know you are in for an uphill battle. With change holding the high ground.
Over the past few months, I have gone through a few things where my ability to cope with change has been put to the test. These changes have caused me to stop and think and ask myself, how do I deal with change?
Choose to go with the flow
One of my favorite leadership writers, John Maxwell, wrote, “if you are comfortable, you are not growing.” Change is that agitator that stirs things up in your life. Think about it. If you are stirring a pot of water, and quickly start stirring in the opposite direction, there is going to be some friction. Things will start to get rough as the change starts to move against the flow of the water. The water, however, will react by moving with the flow, and the friction will stop. Life changes are like this as well. The only difference is we have the ability to choose to resist the change or to go with the flow. The longer we fight against the current, the more turmoil we will seem to have.
Be flexible with your plan
One of my favorite DC characters 
Have a Mastermind
Only ever have one perspective, will lead to only having one way to solve a problem. But a support system will make moving through change a faster process by providing varying perspectives. Most of the time, for me, I am so caught up with executing my plan that, I cause the friction in the water. Having a group of trusted individuals provides multiple experiences, to be able to adapt, however, those experiences do not necessarily have to come from people. Michael Hyatt once said on his podcast, if you have not created a trusted advisory board then you can start one using books, podcasts, and articles. Changes are there is someone who has written or spoken about the change that you are going through and their ideas, solutions, and thought are available for the taking.
Exercise to reduce stress
Is dealing with change what is stressful, or is dealing with the stress that change causes, that is most troublesome? Arguments can be made supporting both theories, but I surmise that is the reaction to both stress and the change that will help you cope. Generally, for me, there is nothing that a long run or a hard workout will not cure. This gives me the opportunity to step away from the stressor, and focus on something else. Scientifically speaking, stress is a form of energy. It cannot be destroyed. But, you can transform it from a negative energy to a positive one.
If there is one thing that I have learned over the past few years of my career, it is that change is inevitable. Dealing with that change, though it often does cause stress, is a choice that each person has to make. When life seems like it is spiraling out of control because of change, the only sure way to manage that spiral is by controlling how you deal with the change.
Suggested Reading
Who Moved My Cheese
Corey Stokes 