I find that when the leaves begin to change color, I also begin to change. It happens every fall. The cool air comes in and as nature shifts, so do I. Sometimes it’s big shifts, sometimes smaller ones, but both are important in the process of evolving more deeply into who we are at our core.

I can most definitely say that these changes or shifts aren’t necessarily easy. I’d like to pretend that I flow with each one–after all I help people with their own change and transformation–but I need to be honest with myself and you. I can find myself pushing back hard against change. It is what it is. I’m human. But in that process of pushing back, I’ve discovered a few things to help me move back into the “flow” and I’d like to share them with you. Here are 4 things I walk  each of my clients through (and also myself) when change knocks at the door:

Identify what kind of change it is. This is key. If you don’t identify what it is, then you are not going to come up with a productive course of action. There are two main types of change: Change we can control and change we can’t control. If it’s something you can change and shift, then sitting down with your options and going deep will be helpful. If the change is out of your control, then it’s easier to focus on how you are going to respond to it rather than push against it.

Take your power back. Change can leave us feeling helpless sometimes. The key is to take actions that make feel like you are working with the change rather than the change is happening to you. It’s the idea of shifting from a victim mentality to a more neutral position. I can’t tell you how often I say to myself out loud, “Ok. That happened. I can’t go back. How do I go forward?” I don’t necessarily come up with the answer right then and there, but I do empower myself to move forward from that point on.

Trust your inner voice. Sometimes, our first reaction is to reach out to everyone around us when something happens to get their opinion on it, when in reality we should be tuning into our own inner voice first. Once you hear someone else’s opinion, you can’t unhear it. Love yourself enough to get your own take on it first and then bounce ideas off of people.

Stop the rollercoaster. We’ve all been in the moments in life where you feel like you’re on some insane roller coaster that won’t stop. You feel yourself start to spin out and then all of a sudden things feel out of control. When that feeling starts to arise, know that nothing good can come of it. You CANNOT navigate change in a healthy way if you are spinning out. Stop. Breathe. Find your center. This may mean journaling, meditating, getting out in nature–the choices are endless. Just do what anchors you in a healthy way and then come back to what is sitting in front of you. You’ll feel so much more balanced and able to see things more clearly.

These aren’t the only 4 things you can do, but I do find them to be 4 things that help me immensely when I’m first struggling to move forward. I’d love to hear what tools or tips help you move with change. Hit reply on this email and let me know.

P.S. If you’re struggling to tune into your inner voice, then head on over to the Adventures with Spirit Podcast. We’ve got quite a few episodes coming up that will help you figure out how to trust your inner voice.