Buzz

Hi. How are ya? My name is Lisa and I’m coming up on my two-year anniversary with Sabo PR.

It has flown by. Looking back, I’ve realized a lot has happened both in my personal and professional life in the last two years. All the changes I’ve gone through have both invigorated and challenged me in so many ways.

Most people would agree that dealing with change is hard. I’ve read that “overcoming a fear of change can be as difficult as overcoming a fear of failure.”

Yeah. Let that sink in.

With every new project or milestone in life comes varying waves of uncertainty, but no level of worry will stop change from happening. If you try to stop it, you might make things more difficult for yourself or limit the success that could come from a new challenge. In reflecting on the changes I’ve gone through in the last two years, here are my tips for adjusting to the inevitable.

Starting a new job

This two-year journey starts with changing jobs. I wrote my first blog post for Sabo PR a little over a week into the new job. Reading how I described my thoughts and feelings brings me back to what it was like. A new job meant a new team, a new boss, a new work culture, new responsibilities and processes. It was equally exciting and scary not really knowing what lay ahead.

What helped me embrace all the newness was to remind myself of why I took the plunge, how the change would move me closer to my goals. I tried my best to stay positive, soak in every bit of feedback and enjoy each new experience. While you may not always be able to predict what’s going to happen, you do have control over how you react to any situation that comes your way.

Keeping with the latest trends

If you’re in a communications-related field, you’re attuned to how the media landscape is changing. You might be trying to keep up with the latest social media trend or platform.

Where Pokémon GO and Snapchat were once all the rage, now it’s the #StandingBroomChallenge and TikTok. Perhaps you’re keeping your eye out for the latest annual list of what PR pros should be doing to stay relevant. You know that change is constant in this field.

Rather than letting yourself get overwhelmed or feeling the need to roll your eyes at the latest viral sensation, flip your attitude around and get creative. Ask yourself what can I do with this? How can I get good at this? Expand your skill set for the opportunities that come your way and you’ll become a more well-rounded professional in the end.

Getting meowied

Sorry, not sorry. I’m a cat person. But yes, I got married! It was the easiest change to go through from a relationship standpoint.

As for wedding planning, international travel and changing my name? I can’t say the same. A lot of planning goes into getting married, but it’s rare that all goes accordingly. Flexibility is a must. Expect that last-minute changes are going to be a part of the process and don’t let them get you feeling down. Use your expert problem-solving skills to move on and move forward.

Buying a house

There are many ways to go about searching for homes, and buying one can be intimidating for first-time homeowners. There’s a lot to learn about mortgages, amortization, credit scores, etc. Figuring out what offer you’ll make and closing the deal is like an out-of-body experience. And once you get the place, you want to make it your own — but that also takes a lot of time, money and patience. Don’t get me started on the hours spent on the sometimes trial-and-error nature of house maintenance and home improvement (you can read all about my interior painting woes here).

In any case, the best advice I can give is to treat it like the learning experience it is. Have kind, supportive and experienced people to walk alongside and guide you through it. I’m no electrician, plumber, painter, carpenter, landscaper or financial guru, but there sure are a lot of experts out there on the ready to help and wonderful tutorials online.

Though sometimes easier said than done, the best way to adjust to any change is to have a positive outlook and ask for help when you need it. As the late Terry Jones and his troupe, Monty Python, said: “Always look on the bright side of life.”