You may or may not have heard of Katherine Russell Rich, who is an American author, memoirist, and cancer survivor. But chances are that you’ll recognize the good sense of her strategies for embracing drastic personal change when it comes to your doorstep. She’s widely published and read, but in an article she wrote entitled “10 Ways to Embrace Change,” she opens up about how the loss of her job affected what she knew about herself and the world, enabling her to pursue her true life goals. The following are some of the most poignant points made by this inspiring author.

Engaging in Personal Reflection    

In Rich’s words, this idea can be encapsulated simply: “Don’t just do something; sit there.” It’s counterintuitive, it drives us crazy, and that’s the beauty of it. Instinct isn’t always the best compass in stormy waters, since it often browbeats us into multitasking ourselves into the background of our own lives. When change happens, it’s important to learn what it means to you personally, which is a process that requires time and active reflection. So sit down, be quiet, ignore that fight-or-flight stress going on in your brain, and centre your thoughts on the change that’s occurring in your life. Learn to understand it before you embrace it.

Switching Off the Savant

When change happens to you, don’t sic your big IQ on it or things will just get messier. Rich once interviewed a prominent linguist, Alton Becker, who said that “smart people don’t like having their minds changed.” This statement resounded with Rich, who knew from personal experience that it was true. If you’re going to embrace change, you can’t over-think it. This may seem contrary to the reflection advice above, but reflecting doesn’t necessarily entail brainy analysis of the situation. The change in your life has something to tell you, so just listen and keep your overeager brain cells to yourself. Another dimension of this “no-brainer” approach is to assume that you don’t know anything about yourself or the world. Just keep repeating the “don’t know” mantra, which will help you allow change to wipe your slate clean. If you look at everything with eyes that see only newness, you’ll be surprised at what you can learn.

Downsizing Across the Board

Objects and habits hold a lot of significance for us as humans. That said, you probably need to get rid of as much of that mental and physical weight as possible if you’re going to embrace change. This is part of insisting that you don’t know anything: if you don’t recognize your old familiar stuff, you can get rid of it if it doesn’t fit the change that’s happening in your life. Getting rid of familiarity, even though it’s comfortable, can enable you to become the true context of your own life. Change won’t happen to you; it will happen within you.

Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, researching various accredited online degree programs. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.