Here are two models to help explain change.
1. Process of Transition: expected and unexpected, wanted and unwanted change.
2. Stages of Change: generally regarding wanted change.
Life is full of change and transitions. Change occurs in all areas of our lives: work and relationships, changes in our physical and mental health, and new events in our local communities and our world. Sometimes it is expected change and sometimes it comes along unexpectedly. Change can be pretty hard to deal with, especially when it’s an unwanted surprise and is being imposed upon us. It makes us feel uncertain about things (read a previous post called ‘Managing Uncertainty’ for more on this). Yet change can also be positive and motivating for some, especially if it’s your choice to change something.
Process of Transition
Fisher’s Process of Transition (2012) is a useful tool to identify where we each are in the process of change.
Try and think of something that is changing in your life and try and identify where you are using the descriptions below. Some people say you will experience all the stages, I say that’s not the case.
Anxiety - the awareness that events lie outside your range of understanding or control.
Happiness - the awareness that your viewpoint is recognised and shared by others, you may feel happy that change is going to happen.
Fear - the awareness of impending change in your core behavioural system, fear may lead you to resist change.
Threat – you perceive a major change on what you believe to be your identity, you realise that change will have a fundamental impact on who you are, threat is another reason you resist change.
Guilt – you begin exploring how you acted and reacted in the past, you are now redefining your sense of self.
Depression - this phase is characterised by a general lack of motivation and confusion, you are uncertain as to what the future holds, the previous undermining of your core sense of self leaves you with no clear vision of how to operate.
Gradual Acceptance – here you begin to make sense of your environment and of your place within the change.
Moving Forward - in this stage you are starting to exert more control, make more things happen in a positive sense and are getting your sense of self back.
Disillusionment - the awareness that your values, beliefs and goals are incompatible with those of the force of change/the change itself.
Hostility - the continued effort to predict that the change will lead to failure.
Denial - this stage is defined by a lack of acceptance of any change and denies that there will be any impact on yourself.
Anger - for where change is 'forced' on you, anger appears to be directed outward at other people, inward anger can be related more to the depression and guilt stages.
Complacency – it is possible that you feel that you have, once again, moved into your 'comfort zone'
REMEMBER: As with any personal transformation, there are no clear boundaries to any of these stages. It is more of a gradual realisation that things have subtly changed.
Stages of Change
This model is about change of an individual which is intentional. The Stages of Change Model (Transtheoretical Model) was developed by Prochaska and DiClemente in the late 1970’s. It was developed through analysing the experiences of smokers who wanted to quit. They found that people quit smoking only if they were ready to do so. Behaviours do not change quickly, especially behaviour that is habitual. People can go through the cycle repeatedly.
After reading the stages below, try and think of where you might be in the cycle regarding something in your life, losing weight or stopping smoking (as examples).
Pre-contemplation - In this stage, people do not intend to take action in the foreseeable future (defined as within the next 6 months). People are often unaware that their behaviour is problematic or produces negative consequences. People in this stage often underestimate the pros of changing behaviour and place too much emphasis on the cons of changing behaviour.
Contemplation - In this stage, people are intending to start the healthy behaviour in the foreseeable future (defined as within the next 6 months). People recognise that their behaviour may be problematic, and a more thoughtful and practical consideration of the pros and cons of changing the behaviour takes place, with equal emphasis placed on both. Even with this recognition, people may still feel ambivalent toward changing their behaviour.
Preparation or Determination - In this stage, people are ready to act within the next 30 days. People start to take small steps toward the behaviour change, and they believe changing their behaviour can lead to a healthier life.
Action - In this stage, people have recently changed their behaviour (defined as within the last 6 months) and intend to keep moving forward with that behaviour change. People may exhibit this by modifying their problem behaviour or acquiring new healthy behaviours.
Maintenance - In this stage, people have sustained their behaviour change for a while (defined as more than 6 months) and intend to maintain the behaviour change going forward. People in this stage work to prevent relapse to earlier stages. Sometimes they will maintain their behaviours, and this will lead to ‘termination’ which is where people have no desire to return to their old ways. Sometimes people will maintain their behaviours for a short while and then relapse.
Skills
It would be rude to leave you without any skills to help with some of the less pleasant experiences that can come from change.
1. Think about another time you went through change. How did that go?
2. Decide upon the best and worst-case outcomes from the change. Could you deal with the worst-case outcome? Can you focus on the best possible outcome?
3. Remind yourself about what is in your direct control.
4. Accept the things that are out of your control and realise that because you have accepted this, you are no longer involved in a war you were never going to win.
5. Seek out the little positives, do this actively, they can be hard to find.
6. Try some problem-solving techniques or set some goals to proactively address any challenges (especially if you keep going around the change cycle).
7. Manage any stress (you know best how to do this) but meditation and mindfulness are always great.
8. Practice your best self-care. Take that bubble bath and have an early night.
9. Check if you are slipping into negative thought patterns (please see previous post)
10. Remind yourself of your priorities, for example, yes, your job is changing but your family has and always will be more important to you.
You may be completely overwhelmed if the change you’re facing is really big, or there’s too much change happening all at once. You may be struggling to get out of a habitual cycle. This is when it might be best to seek support. Consider asking friends or family for help or emotional support. You may need to consider seeking professional advice.
With these two models and a few tips, I hope change has been somewhat explained and made it accessible. Work with the best model that suits you. Feel free to ask me any questions!
References
http://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/SB/BehavioralChangeTheories/BehavioralChangeTheories6.html https://www.businessballs.com/change-management/personal-change-stages-john-fisher/ https://au.reachout.com/articles/7-tips-for-dealing-with-change https://www.psycom.net/dealing-with-change
http://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/sarahpatterson/2017/10/27/fisher-change-model/ https://blog.braive.com/cycle-of-change-3188d0228ad5