Women's Empowerment: Change In A Woman's Life Part One

THE DEFINITION OF CHANGE Change is an event that is situational and external to us. Change occurs when something old stops and something new starts. Change is happening all around you in your life. You may be experiencing change right now at work, with friends, in your family, in your body or in your finances. Dr. William Bridges, author of the book “Transition: The Personal Path Through Change,” states that when you are facing change, it’s helpful to step back and ask yourself the following questions: 1. What do I have at stake that makes me hang in there in this changing situation?

2. Who else in your world is affected by these changes in a significant way? (Think of all the people in your life.)

LET’S LOOK AT YOUR SPECIFIC CHANGE!

WRITE TWO OR THREE SENTENCES THAT DESCRIBE A SINGLE, IMPORTANT CHANGE YOU ARE FACING. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

“THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM IS TO CALL THINGS BY THEIR RIGHT NAMES” –CHINESE PROVERB Taking the first step on any journey can be the hardest one. Too often, when dealing with change, we’re expected to “just get on with it,” to “think positively,” and “go with the flow.” But all changes have positive and negative consequences; new freedoms and new limits, new rewards and new risks. To make things easier, you have identified on significant change to work on. Write down the top two or three positive and negative aspects of this change.

POSITIVE __________________ __________________ __________________ NEGATIVE __________________ __________________ __________________

HOMEWORK For your homework this week, I want you to FACE change courageously. Maybe it's change in a key relationship, maybe it's financial, maybe it's emotional or even spiritual between you and God. Whatever the change is, I want you to discuss it with two important people.

Have the first conversation . . .

(1) WITH YOURSELF. Ask yourself and then jot down your answers in a journal, "What does this change really mean to me?" "How is it impacting me?" "What do I like about the change?" "What am I concerned about?"

(2) Then, have a significant conversation with a trusted friend, coach or mentor. Share with this person some of your thoughts that you wrote in your journal. Discuss how you plan to FACE your change. Ask them what they hear you saying. (It's always good to get feedback so that you can hear your own heart clearly).