In pursuit of my personal goals for 2013, I am very excited to be attending the current Nutrifit Program, run by highly recommended nutritional therapist (and Royal Gazette columnist) Catherine Burns.The programme so far has been fantastic, extremely comprehensive and makes it very clear and simple what we need to do to balance our blood sugar levels and achieve a healthy lifestyle. Yet something I have found equally fascinating during this process is my own reaction to it, particularly my resistance to do what needs to be done; my reluctance to change.From my private clients to corporate team situations, change is something people often admit to not liking or dealing well with. Change resistance can manifest as procrastination, fear, complacency, cynicism, nay-saying etc. I even had one lady say to me, “I don’t do change”.Aversion to change is not entirely surprising. It is a basic human need to seek certainty and security. When we’ve found something we like, because it is easy or routine, or we are comfortable with it or because it is all we know, we may well resist giving that up for the uncertainty of something different, unknown, and any potential discomfort it might bring.But whether we like it or not, we all do change… or at least, change does us! From moment to moment, with each breath, we are changing. Often only incrementally. At the most basic level: cells form, cells die, we are growing older. Our environment and the stimuli we are exposed to are continually in flux and we must change and adapt to that. Advances in technology, transitions in government, shifts to combat economic downturn, are all developments that affect us. People can be faced with redundancies, medical diagnoses, relationship breakdowns, accidents, losses, promotions, proposals, launching a new business/project/product, buying a home, having a baby… the list goes on. Change, both planned and unexpected, surrounds us. Some changes are slow and almost imperceptible, but monumental change can also happen in a heartbeat.Try as we might to grip onto things (be it our youth, our loved ones, our routines, a perfect moment or even just an alright moment), it is futile. Nothing remains the same forever. Ironically, that ‘things change’ is one of the few things that we really can be certain of and find security in.Knowing we cannot stop change from happening, we realise that all we have control over is our perception of change and how we approach it.If we sense that change is happening to us or that circumstances are forcing us to alter, we can feel a loss of control, which can negatively affect us to varying degrees. We can end up feeling like a victim of change and therefore disempowered. Rather than being reactive, why not choose to be proactive to change instead?The following are 12 tips for becoming effective change managers and being proactive about change:1. Change how you see change. What happens when instead of ‘change’, you call it: progress, possibility, opportunity, a new development, another chapter, a chance to reinvent…? Look for the positive in any change. Change can provide an opportunity for growth, building confidence, helping us focus on our priorities, education, making us stronger (what doesn’t kill us… as the saying goes).2. Anticipate change. Keep yourself flexible and adaptive by trying new things, accepting new challenges, making new friends, exploring different interests. We will be better able to deal with unexpected change if we are used to adjusting.3. Face your fear of change. It is often the unknown that can be frightening when it comes to change. Pinpoint what you are afraid the change might bring. Ask yourself: is this really all that scary? What can I do in advance to allay these fears? How can I develop courage?4. Keep your vision on the horizon. Last week I described vision as the springboard to change. It acts like a small-scale map. While we may hit detours and diversions on our current road, we still have in sight where we eventually want to get to and what is important. Note: when making changes, we can often be met by resistance from others who may feel jealous, threatened or fear how our change will affect (change) them. Focusing on and communicating your strong vision and strategies with them will keep you motivated on your pursuit and hopefully also inspire them.5. Keep an open mind. Rather than jump to conclusions about unforeseen changes, ask questions like:l What can I do about this situation?l How does this or could this affect me?l What are my options?l What will I need to navigate this change resources (finances, time, skills, support etc)?l What is my desired outcome and most important for me in this situation?6. Stay informed. When dealing with change, keep on top of any new developments that will affect your situation. This allows for up-to-date innovation and relevant creative problem solving and questioning. Actively seeking the change helps us feel ahead of the ball and in the most empowered position possible.7. Be prepared. There are certain things in life that are inevitable and some that are likely. Take the time to think through the kinds of changes that you sometime may face and ask those questions above in advance. Planning (be it estate planning, financial, career, retirement planning etc) can greatly facilitate transitions and changes.8. Pace your changes. For the major changes we do have control over, spread them out where possible. Change is often accompanied by stress (even happy changes like a new marriage, baby, moving house etc). Allow yourself time to adjust and adapt to change.9. Seek support and assistance. Whether it is advice or accountability for making proactive changes in your life, or help for coping with unexpected change, consider what support you need and what your options are from professional help, support groups, friends etc.10. Give yourself time. Change can often feel like a loss, and may involve actual loss of loved ones, a job, etc. Allow yourself space and time to grieve that loss. Treat yourself extra kindly during times of change to combat the effects of stress. But remain aware against getting stuck in complaining or habitual negative stories about the change as this can hinder moving forward from it.11. Communicate. Management consultant and author, John Kotter, writes that, during times of change, leaders often make the error of underestimating the issue of communication by a factor of ten. Keeping everyone informed of developments and processing feedback is vital to smooth transitioning and effective change management.12. Don’t let change be overwhelming. Even major changes and challenges can be broken down into just a series of smaller steps. Take them one at a time.Being proactive and prepared for it makes change feel like progress rather than punishment. When we come to terms with the idea of constant change, we can then make it work for us to get the most out of our lives, choosing our future despite the unexpected, and pursuing our success rather than spending our time fearing, fighting and resisting the inevitable.“It is not the strongest of the species who survive, not the most intelligent, but those who are the most adaptive to change,” said Charles Darwin.So with my vision of summer swimwear in my head I’m off to get a green smoothie… There can be some delicious surprises when we are willing to give change a try.Julia Pitt is a trained success coach and certified NLP practitioner. For further information telephone 705-7488 or visit www.juliapittcoaching.com.