This spring has been busy. Spring usually is. The outdoor sports season starts for the children so nights and weekends are spent cheering at my daughter’s softball games and my son’s tennis and track & field sessions. As I watched my daughter’s team lose game after game and how they all still returned with a smile on their face and a love for the sport and the team, I was impressed. Sports can indeed be a wonderful means to foster grit and determination.

The garden was pretty beat up by all the snow we were gifted with this year, so I’ve been busy cleaning up the dead wood, saving what could be saved and adding new plants. Creating an environment for all the different shrubs and plants to thrive again.

The same themes run through my work. As a Career Transition Consultant, I work with groups and individuals who found themselves in a time of change and transition. Providing them with support through the transition helped them identify their strengths and ability to overcome obstacles and actively pursue new opportunities.

To pursue change, be it internally or externally motivated, we need to look for the positive. Open the door and face our fears boldly. Be ready to push beyond our safety zone and take chances. Stagnation kills the creative spirit.

One useful tool is to perform a SWOT analysis of the situation you are in. Assess the STRENGTHS, WEAKNESS, OPPORTUNITY and THREAT in your current situation and the new phase lying ahead. Then proceed to identify your skills to cope and manage with the difficult and capitalize on the positive (strength & opportunity). Don’t forget to identify those people & resources in your life that can support you through the transition.