Studies have shown that too much change can overload our systems, leading to physical and emotional problems. Even our biological clocks may malfunction as a result. These changes impact the way our bodies adapt to stress. As a matter of fact, it can be said that the culprit is not change but, rather, our ability to adjust and adapt to that change.

The number and types of changes that a person undergoes, as measured in "life-change units", are directly related to illnesses that person will experience. Examples of life-changes are loss of a loved one, a jail sentence, marriage, job termination, birth of a child, and even family get-together. Research has suggested that the greater the "life change units" experienced in a period of time correlate to a greater propensity to becoming sick. The more changes you endure, the more vulnerable your immune system appears to be. The key to minimizing the impact of these changes appears to be resiliency - the ability to bounce back effectively when faced with challenges.

There are at least three ways to deal with these challenges to reduce the impact of change: 1) minimize the change; 2) reduce the negative effects of the change; and 3) learn to deal with change by changing yourself.

1) The most effective way of minimizing change is through planning. If you will be relocating, take time to plan for all the different actions that must be taken. Talk with others who have gone down that path before; take copious notes; make a list of things to be done, within an appropriate time frame, so that the entire task is not quite so daunting. The more understanding you have of a soon-to-happen change, the less will be its impact on you.

2) Realize that you are not wholly at the mercy of change, or that you have absolutely no control over a situation. Unless you realize this, you will be making yourself exposed to potential physical and emotional problems. Instead, focus on the positive results to be expected from the change - keep you eye on the goals you have set, or the positive experiences you will now be experiencing. Your goals and "future orientation" will allow you to put up with temporary hassles.

3) The most effective way to deal with change is to change yourself; particularly your thinking processes. Readjust your thoughts to reinforce the positive facets of the change and follow-through with positive actions to support those facets. Most of the problems associated with change stem from fear and the inability to develop a plan of attack. If we aren't certain of what will happen, we have a greater tendency to exaggerate the negative impact of the situations.

So, if you are anticipating a change, get the facts right, become as familiar as you can with the problem, and develop, and stick to, a plan of action The bottom line is that change is not all bad, but it is inevitable. It is one of the few constants in daily living. We can't change that, but you can change you outlook on it. That's a good start in handling change.

Another good way is to attend our special seminar on "Maximizing Motivation" which shows how to effectively make those positive changes - a la New Year's Resolutions - that we all seek.