Change tests who we are. When life shifts under my feet, I try to remember that growth does not start with a plan. It starts with a pause.
In my Humanistic Leadership Model (HLM), thriving through personal change begins with self-awareness. I ask: What am I feeling? Where did it come from? Which part of this feeling is useful, and which part is just fear looking for a job? Naming the feeling gives me room to choose my next move instead of reacting.
Next is systems thinking. I map the system around the change—people, pressures, timing, habits, and the small dominoes I can tip. I look for reinforcing loops I want more of (sleep, movement, kind conversations) and balancing loops I need to watch (overwork, isolation, blame). When I change one behavior, the system shifts.
Then I return to humanistic leadership—starting with myself. I treat my own transition the way I would treat a teammate’s: with respect, patience, and clear boundaries. I choose one tiny action I can sustain this week: a daily walk, a five-minute reflection, a note of appreciation to someone who helped me. Small, consistent steps beat dramatic promises.
Finally, I widen the circle. Serving others during my own change steadies me. A simple act of kindness transforms anxiety into momentum. The more I practice this loop—awareness, systems, human connection—the more resilient I become.
Change is not a threat to who you are; it is a rehearsal for who you are becoming. Pause, map, choose, serve. Repeat. That is how we thrive.