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The Un-Comfort Zone II by Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. Dealing with Change You Don’t Want In this column, I’ve written about embracing change because it prepares you to think more creatively, and it’s part of the Innovator’s Lifestyle. I’ve also written about accepting change even if you’re not com- pletely comfortable with the idea because of the potential for emotional and intellectual growth. I haven’t written about sudden unexpected change, and how to deal with it - so that is the topic of this month’s column. I’m not talking about an unexpected change that comes with a lottery win or other good fortune. Those are situations which expand your choices and options in a positive way. I think we can all happily deal with that sort of change. Instead, I’m interested in how to deal with an unexpected change which means a loss of some kind has occurred. It might be a change that will lead to more prosperity and growth down the road, but at first you only notice the loss. A loss can mean so many things: loss of a job, home, loved one, money, time, etc. It could be a loss you caused, uninten- tionally or not, or it could’ve been an accident. The bottom line is, you are uncomfortable and you want to get back to your comfort zone. Here are nine things you can do to help overcome your loss and become at ease with your new situation: 1. Rest and relax. Take a deep breath and don’t react; and don’t make any quick decisions. You need time to evaluate the situation; time to get past your, and think rationally. So do something fun just for you; go for a massage or an ice cream sundae. 2. Grieve. You’ve lost something valuable to you. Let your emotions flow. Feel the pain so you can get past it. Don’t numb it with drugs or alcohol - that will only delay the inevitable and retard your growth. 3. Lean on the people you love for support. Your friends and family will help you get through this. Let them know; don’t keep it to yourself. Talking things out will make you feel better, and your support group may have some good suggestions on what to do next. 4. Assess and assimilate the new information. After you’ve finished grieving, don’t look back and wonder what you could have done differently. Resistance is costly, or - if you ask The Borg from Star Trek - futile. Look instead to see what you can learn from this situation, and start to determine how you’ll move forward. 5. Meditate. Find the stillness and calm your mind because this will allow you to achieve some clarity in your thoughts and feelings. You need clarity to help you choose your next direction. 6. Focus on your goals, or your purpose in life. You can best maintain these by knowing the path to reaching them may change, but it doesn’t mean you have to change your goals. 7. Count your blessings. Take some time to remember your accomplishments and what you still have. Pat yourself on the back because you’ve done a lot with your life. 8. Keep a positive attitude. Look at change as an opportunity. You’ll learn new stuff, do new activities; and when you’re experiencing new things, you are opening new channels of thought in your brain. You’re creating new electri- cal connections between your brain cells. You’ll have more information with which to be creative. All the while you’ll be stimulating the dopamine receptors in your brain which make you feel good. 9. Live in the now. When you live in the present and focus on what you can do right now, you can’t at the same time dwell on the past or freak out about the future. Thinking about the past - what was lost - leads to depression. Thinking about the future - worrying about what might happen - leads to anxiety. Think only about what you need to do today and work on it, and you’ll get through and past your pain. Life is full of surprises and unantici- pated events, and i t ’s impossible to avoid them. Life is dynamic; it’s never static, but you can prepare somewhat for the unexpected. For Wilson cont’d on page 56. 39 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® SEPTEMBER 2018 Open the Doorway to all the Event Photos during NDA Buckeye Chapter Indoor/Outdoor Training Expo III. To see all the photos from this event, go to www.worldwidedrillingresource.com or click here. Feel free to download at will and print the photo(s) of your choice. Compliments of WorldWide Drilling Resource ® . Photos are copyrighted and released for personal use only - no commercial use permitted.