I am in the business of change.  Anyone reading this article right now might be looking to make a change and are wondering how to do it effectively, efficiently, and with as little disruption to the current day-to-day as possible.  

Once we make whatever change seems the most necessary, we want to feel positive about the change and feel it is worth what it will take to sustain the change we have in mind.

Change is important for several reasons:

• Change teaches us things about ourselves. It opens the doors to new possibilities.
• Change enables us to adapt to new situations. It allows us to meet people and step into new environments.
• Change allows us to look at things from a new perspective. These views may reinforce or challenge our life values.
• Change gives us the strength to make it through tough times. It helps us put one foot in front of the other.  

What most of us fail to realize is that in between the decision to change and the execution of the change is the art of the transition.  The smoother the transition, the easier the change.  When a transition becomes bumpy and disruptive, we feel off balance and would rather go back to the way we used to do it so the feeling of comfort returns. 

The challenge with that thinking is that we soon return to the feeling that got us thinking about making a change in the first place.

Transitions will take you on a roller coaster of emotions.  It’s important to step back and understand the why of the change and envision the future state after the change.