Change and grow by Marti Vickery

Change is one of the most valuable growing experiences of life. When I first arrived in northwest Florida, a resume did not count. Most folks wanted to know who my parents were, where I went to school, etc. I commonly heard, “You’re not from around here, are you?”For several months, I adapted to staying with family and was grateful for their generosity, but we were somewhat “space challenged” in their “mobile mansion,” and they were stretched financially and needed their privacy.



Finally, I secured an interview at a big box store. “You do have years of retail and management experience, but we only have part time openings at this time,” the assistant manager said. I challenged them to hire me to fill two part time positions within the same store, and it worked.The company’s management team and human resources personnel showed flexibility, finding two positions available that would suit my skill set and revamping both schedules to achieve appropriate customer service. I demonstrated adaptability to accommodate the company’s needs and policies. That was over a decade ago, but I am so thankful for lessons learned that continue to help me through diverse situations today.

How can you demonstrate flexibility?

Prioritize
Don’t waste energy complaining about your circumstance or event. Put that energy to use by writing down solutions or goals—short and long term—and immediately identify what can and cannot change.

Adapt

You may not be able to afford that big family room addition you planned. Instead, rearrange the existing family area, get rid of unnecessary clutter, get a wall mounted TV/stereo, organize what you have, and be amazed at how much larger the room will look and feel. Adapt to living in a more streamlined or scaled down atmosphere.

Prepare
Many families are now faced with adult children coming back home or elderly parents that need assistance. How much storage space will be needed? What about medical issues? Where do I get help?      Evaluate your surroundings. Make any necessary adjustments, and prioritize remaining needs to tackle in the future. Reduce your “fear factor” by being prepared to take life as it comes. The key to reducing negativity is to communicate early and often. Lay ground rules, and know that these can change.


Special mention and thanks to WWW.CHARACTERFIRST.COM