The Emotional Phases OF Change

The only constance right now is Change.

“The fundamental response to change is not logical, but emotional” Tom de Marco

The truth is that most of us are not confortable with a permanent change which result in a complex emotional responses.

The most commun reaction include the desire to keep the things just like they are and to doubt about the real effect of change.

These reactions is nothing but reflections of the emotional phases people are going through during the change process.

Understanding the emotional phases that people may experience can help to manage them well.

Emotional reaction is not an exact science, but there is a commun reactions frequently observed in the change process :

v Awareness > Anxiety : To realize that there is a problem behavior that needs to be changed could be anxious.

v Determination > Happiness : To realize the need of change and feel good about the expected results and their good impact in the future.

v Doubt > Fear : To don’t know where to start and how efficient will the change be.

v Negative thinking > Anger : To be anger mostly against these who initiate the change.

v Confusion > Depression : To lose the enthusiasm and self confidence ( not surw about own abilities or own desires).

v Exploration > Acceptance : To evaluate options, bargain, negotiate

means being open to change.

v Moving forward > Positive thinking : To regain control on the situation.

Notice that some people will move more quickly through the phases than others, because the process of transition through the phases is completed subconsciously and everyone will react differently depending on which phase he is in.

The idea is not that everyone must go through every one of these phases, in precise order. Some people may also regress to an earlier stage depending on their situation. (step backward, denial, rejection … ).