Unexpectant things can happen suddenly in our lives without preparation, which is why it is important to be able to accept and manage change.  Sometimes, life hits us with unexpectant blows, meaning things that we did not expect or plan for can happen.  It is important to be able to adapt to the changes, so that the new situation and/or circumstances do not defeat us or change us in a negative way.  Change is not always easy to accept in the beginning of the initial transformational phase.  However, we must learn to adapt and modify existing plans, because old plans are not always applicable to new situations. 

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In any relationship, managing change is essential to growing through the changes.  Some people do not like the word, change.  So, I often refer to change as adapt, modify, evolve, transition, grow, and mature, because I want everyone reading this to be receptive to this important information that I am trying to convey.  Life is so unpredictable; therefore, we cannot avoid transformation.  How you manage change will determine how happy or unhappy you will be with your life and in your relationship, as things change.  Managing change is about how you handle challenging or new and different situations.  

If you struggle with how to manage change, below are some suggestions.  As we start to embark on this new year, make the journey as pleasant for yourself and your mate as much as humanly possible.  Try doing the following:

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• Be ready to accept that changes will be necessary for growth.

• Be prepared on how to handle those who will be resistant to change.

• Develop an effective communication strategy on how to communicate change processes. Effective communication means, listen for understanding/comprehension and not to react or respond, ask questions for clarity, and provide constructive feedback as needed.  This means that you will have to get to know the people/person and how he/she will be impacted by the changes and how they might handle it.

• Determine how you will manage change over time (long-term).

• Establish realistic expectations to implement change effectively.

• Be flexible enough to adapt to the changes and modify the changes as needed.

• Assess how the change processes are working to determine if additional modifications need to be made.

• Get feedback from your partner about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the change process and consider what matters most to the both of you to effectively manage the change(s).
   

Don’t be afraid to embrace new and different opportunities and people.  Don’t be afraid to confront the changes that need to take place within your relationship to ensure that it is happy and healthy.  Changes doesn’t always mean walking away when things do not go as planned; this is where having an effective communication plan can help you work together through the transformation.  Change is what innovation and transformation is all about.  Just keep in mind that the transformation should not change a person to be worst, the changes should make you better.  For two different people to co-exist in an ever-changing world, we must all learn how to adapt and manage change effectively.  Despite the challenges we faced in 2020, let’s embrace what’s new for us in 2021, even if it causes us to be changed…No matter what, just make sure that it’s a change for the betterment of the relationship.

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By Lynnette Clement