PERSONAL NOTE

Hola.  Today is Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) which is celebrated more in the United States than in Mexico.  It is not Mexican Independence Day. This day commemorates Mexico's defeat over the French in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla which was significant because the French had many more soldiers and equipment than Mexico.   It started being celebrated more in America in the 1980s when the beer and tequila companies started marketing campaigns giving us another reason to party.  Beer sales for Cinco de Mayo come second to Super Bowl so their marketing has been successful.  (The mini-history lesson is over now.)

Living my whole life in San Diego it has been a more popular day here than for my friends in, let's say, North Dakota or Minnesota.  I will get on with the newsletter now because I have some tequila, chips, and guacamole waiting for me.  Hope you enjoy this month's topic. 

CHANGE

This month the focus is on change and how you deal with it.  Every moment of everyday things are changing for all of us yet the more routine changes seem to go unnoticed.  Every time you put on different clothes or go from room to room in your house you are experiencing change.  However, the things that get labeled as a change are probably things like; new policies or co-workers at the office, starting or losing a job, getting into or out of a relationship and the list goes on and on.  So how receptive are you to changes, planned or unexpected?  Since many of you have asked for another quiz I have included one this month to help you find out how well you cope with change.   

Quiz: How Well Do You Cope with Change? 

All change carries with it the risk of the unknown and the unexpected. Some find this exciting and welcome the challenge. Others go down the path of change reluctantly, dragging their heels all the way. But, as songwriter Johnny Rivers said, “The only thing that’s permanent is change.” Conscious, developed awareness of your response to change can help you develop better-coping strategies. 

Answer the following questions to find out how you cope with change most often. These questions are not targeted as to how you operate 100% of the time but more as "in most cases I..."  You won’t be scored at the end and you are the only person to see these results.  Answer true or false to the following questions, and elaborate a bit on those that feel especially relevant. 

T / F    1. I hesitate to make a change until everything is 100 percent right. 

T / F    2. I never make changes unless they are forced on me. 

T / F    3. Generally, I look forward to a change as exciting and challenging. 

T / F    4. I’m the kind of person who must be totally fed up before I’ll make any changes. 

T / F    5. When confronted with a change over which I have little control, I review the events and my behavior to determine if I could have done anything differently. 

T / F    6. Rather than feeling responsible for negative changes that come out of nowhere, I take responsibility for my reaction to them. 

T / F    7. I realize that sometimes even “good” changes have an underside that may bring unexpected problems. 

T / F    8. I realize that a positive change in one area of my life won’t smooth out all my problems. 

T / F    9. When coming to terms with a major change in my life, I attempt to keep other changes to a minimum. 

T / F    10. When a change or transition occurs, I review how I have handled other such events in my life for lessons on how to cope with this event. 

T / F    11. I look to other people who have undergone similar changes as models for how I might better cope with the change in my life. 

T / F    12. During a time of change, I ask for help and support from those close to me, reliable friends, and outside professionals. 

T / F    13. After a life change, I step back from the situation to get perspective and rest in order to regain a sense of balance. 

T / F    14. I try to look at the “big picture” of the change and acknowledge any mixed feelings I might have.

T / F    15. Rather than blaming or feeling victimized, when I’m caught in a change over which I have no control, I “pick myself up, dust myself off” and continue to move forward. 

T / F    16. I don’t hold onto the “way things used to be,” but instead move into “the way things are.” 

T / F    17. In order to make a necessary change, I am willing to risk the disapproval and lack of support from others. 

T / F    18. When something positive happens for someone that might change our relationship, I don’t let my fears get in the way of being supportive of that person.

If changes in your life are causing you difficulties, or if you need help in developing some skills to cope with change, don’t hesitate to ask for assistance, that's how I help people. 

COOL RESOURCE

Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 12 Powerful Tools for Leadership, Coaching, and Life by Marilee G. Adams PhD

This book discusses how if you change the questions you ask yourself you can dramatically change the results you achieve.  Even though the title mentions tools for leadership and coaching this book is designed to help everyone get better results in their life.  

I CAN USE YOUR HELP

I am developing a new program to help companies and managers increase their employee retention and engagement and I could use your help.

I want to interview company owners and managers regarding the challenges that they face with staffing.  I also want to interview office workers between the ages of 20 to 30 to get their perspectives as an employee.  These interviews would be by phone and only take between 5 to 10 minutes.  If you or anyone you know who would be interested in helping please reply to this email with your contact information so we can schedule a time.  Thank you in advance.

CONNECT WITH ME

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Please let me know if there are particular items you would like me to cover in upcoming newsletters.  Just email me at jancerasaro@yccbe.com

Stay safe, healthy, and happy!

Coach Jan