Learning How To Make Change

When I was a kid, and my family moved to a new town, I wasn’t asked if I wanted to move. When my parents decided to have more kids, they didn’t consult me. At two years old, I couldn’t tell them to send my new baby sister back to where she came from (though I did try). And when my mom decided to stop homeschooling my sisters and me, to send us to public school, it wasn’t a choice.

When we’re kids, most big changes aren’t up to us. Rather, those choices fall under our parent’s jurisdiction. At least, they’re supposed to. But then, a weird thing happens.

We grow up.

Major decisions are no longer made for us—to both our relief, and angst. Starting around middle school, slowly but surely we are given more and more responsibility. Until, we wake up one day, and the next major decision is all our own. Choosing a college, then a career path is where it starts. But before we know it, we’re asking:

Who am I going to be?

What am I going to do?

Where am I going to live?

Should I date this person?

Should I marry this person?

The choices, and possible changes we can make in our lives are endless. Some of them are obvious. For example, I knew I wanted my faith to be a part of my whole life. Figuring out what that should look like, however, has been different in almost every stage. Making choices and embracing change, isn’t simple.

As a college freshman, I remember going to my first meeting for education majors and realizing I didn’t want to become a teacher. Under the impression I had to have my whole life figured out, panic set in pretty quickly. I knew I had to change my major—but to what?

Later, after graduation, I found myself working in a bookstore. Management was good to me. They had me on the fast track for promotion. But I knew in my heart I wanted to be doing something else. I had to choose the unknown route of applying and accepting a job in a new state, over staying on the sure path. But how did I know I was making the right choice?

Then six years ago, I left the path I believed was my calling. After over a year of wrestling and praying things out, I resigned from my job unsure of what was next. Having built so much of my identity around my career, for a time it felt as if my life imploded. And yet, I have never regretted that decision. What made me so sure?

Part of my security in my decision process, was due to the fact that over the years I have discovered some important steps to making big choices. Helpful things we all can do to enable us to move more confidently in the direction of the changes we long for. Figuring these steps out have been crucial for my journey, and today, I’d like to share them with you.

So, I have created a special tool for you, friends. Drawing from my experiences in choosing or embracing big changes, I have come up with a list—a checklist, if you will—of steps to help you make the best decision for you, anytime you’re faced with making a change. Formatted in a PDF that you can keep on your phone, or print out and keep in your journal, my Making Changes Checklist, can help guide your decision process.

In my Making Changes Checklist, you will find seven doable steps that will help you think through the implications of a decision you’re considering. Now, I realize some of us may be choosing majors, while others of us are figuring out if we want to move across the country. In other words, the choices before us may look very different. That is why, my Making Changes Checklist, is broad enough to fit any decision, while still being specific enough to help you make the choices that are best for your journey. But, I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet:

My Making Changes Checklist is free.

It is a new gift I am sharing with anyone who signs up for my email list. If you’ve already signed up for my email, than you have received this great resource along with all the bonus content that I send to you on a regular basis. But, if you haven’t signed up, today is a great day for you to join, and get this helpful resource for making good changes in your life.

If you are interested,