How do you know when change is in the air, even when you can't quite explain what's different? In Episode 7, Karen Thrall explores the early signs of change, how to recognize them, and why they're worth paying attention to.

Transcript:
00:01 Hi, this is Karen Thrall. Welcome to the Don't Lose podcast.
00:05 Today's episode is Don't Lose Your Ability to Change.
00:08 Behind me is the Pacific Coast in San Diego County. The waves are crashing in. It's a beautiful day.
00:17 Personally, I've gone through a lot of change in the last year. That's compelled me to share some of what I've learned.
00:31 Change looks different for all of us. I'm focusing on the workplace, but you can apply these ideas to your personal life.
00:50 If you're going through personal change, remember that only you can change yourself. Change affects your relationships, environment, mindset, and beliefs. Ask yourself, "What do I need to change? What do I want to change? What am I ready to change?"
01:23 Make sure you have a trusted friend or confidant. Change is messy. You need someone who'll listen as you process different perspectives, options, thoughts, and emotions. It's not a one-time conversation. Change takes time.
02:04 Today, we're talking about the early stages of change. How do you know change is in the air? I focus on three things.
02:16 First, is someone ready for change, or are they frustrated, annoyed, or disappointed with work?
02:27 They might feel less fulfilled, have trouble enjoying their work, or feel unsure about what's happening. I listen closely to distinguish frustration from something deeper.
03:12 Here's a question I ask. If your job and life stayed exactly the same five years from now, how would you feel?
03:31 If their immediate reaction is "No way!" I know change may be on its way.
03:49 So I narrow the timeline. What about three years? Is the reaction just as strong?
04:21 What about one year? If they're disappointed rather than alarmed, we may have more time to work through it.
04:44 Over 20 years, I've found that once change is activated, the cycle can take about 18 months. I'm trying to understand how much time we have.
05:04 What's their tolerance? What's their bandwidth?
05:09 Second, what kind of change are they looking at? More influence, a promotion, or greater responsibility in their current job? Have they reached a ceiling and need to move on? Or do they want an entirely new career?
05:49 Third, what's their capacity for change? Do they really want it?
06:00 Change is hard. It requires sacrifice, thinking differently, making different choices, challenging yourself, and getting uncomfortable. You're letting go of what's familiar for something less familiar, maybe completely unfamiliar.
06:25 How big is this change? How much can they handle?
06:32 I like using the four seasons to illustrate change. Nature is a wonderful teacher.
06:50 Think of a time when everything at work is going well. You like your job, your boss, your pay. There's not much to complain about.
07:01 Then one day, like leaves beginning to change color, you notice something feels different.
07:08 You start asking, "Why do I feel this way? Something's off. Is it me? Why is it harder to go to work?"
07:24 You liked the way things were. You wish they could stay that way. But now you're not so sure.
07:41 That's your wake-up call. Pay attention.
07:53 From the outside, the leaves changing color look beautiful. You notice the crisp air. But when you're the one going through change, it's not always beautiful. It can be scary.
08:13 Next episode, I want to talk about fear, because that's where a lot of people get stuck.
08:29 We ask fear-based questions. I'll show you how to turn them into better questions and why those fears show up.
08:46 For today, I want to focus on the disruption. Something's changing, and you don't quite know what it is.
08:59 I'll see you next week.
09:02 Thanks for listening.

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