Change is always happening. It affects all aspects of our lives: work, family, friends, and self. But why it that some change is so difficult to take? And why do some people suck at it do better than others with it?

Change that is shoved down our throats forced upon us is usually the hardest to deal with. Our natural tendency is to want to do physical harm resist it, dig our heals in and fight it tooth and nail. As humans we are wired to resist things outside our comfort zone and as a result, we usually build up resentment which turns into frustration and then going postal even anger. Often we can feel like a powerless baby victim. We can be emotionally drained due to all of the negative feelings. We hate the world no longer enjoy what we are doing, we lose our sense of purpose (and humor), we start to lack in creativity and energy. But how can we make the most out of this change? How can we adjust to it?

Dealing with change always begins with writing a nasty email letting go of something or many things. What we fail to recognize is that change involves an emotional transition which starts with morning the loss of something: getting fired losing your job; losing a loved one; losing your office; losing your direct reports; losing your boss; losing your responsibilities; losing your benefits, etc.

This loss, or letting go, is usually accompanied by some self-pity, guilt and anxiety about the future. This is usually the emotional transition that happens as a direct result of change. Change sucks isn’t easy. Nobody said it was. And unless you let go of the pain, the negative energy, the bad stuff, it will be nearly impossible for you to to move on in life.

Letting go is a very important step in change as it will refocus your energy to more productive things: looking for a job; cherishing the memories of a loved one; looking forward to the benefits of not having to be responsible for as many reports; etc.

- “Change happens – they keep moving the cheese.”

- “Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old.”

“Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson

These quotes are from one of my favorite books from Dr. Spencer Johnson (from One Minute Manager – fame). It is a short story/fable consisting of 97 pages of big type and even bigger margins. It’s chalk filled with metaphors, good life lessons, cute little characters and some good old fashioned guidance.

N.B. Unfortunately, many corporations have forced employees to read this book usually before a big merger/acquisition or before a restructuring/re-engineering of their workforce. Managers often use the “cheese” metaphor for “success in business” and are often judged on how well they handle the cheese during change. They will have “cheese” meetings, hire expensive consultants who give “cheese” seminars, and break off into small “cheese” discussion groups. I don’t think that Dr. Johnson ever intended to have his work exploited by corporations and repackaged as: Ask only small questions; do not complain; do not whine; accept what you are told; and move with the times.

Despite its small size, Who Moved My Cheese? is masterful at helping people deal with a substantial, psychological roadblock-change. Who Moved My Cheese? tells the story of two mice (Sniff and Scurry) and two “little people” (Hem and Haw) trapped in a maze. Cheese is a metaphor for whatever you want in your life. For the mice, it’s cheese. For the “little people,” it could be success, happiness, or financial security.

Don’t depend upon the status quo. Realize change happens and circumstances, which may have favored you, change. Yet, you can’t control change and are not entitled to things remaining the same. Be ready to move and look for new cheese.

Who Moved My Cheese? provides inspirational guidance to those suffering job loss, downsizing, divorce, or altered life situations. It’s message, to seek out new opportunities, makes the reader, faced with change, want to quit the “It’s-not-fair” hand-wringing and seek opportunity.

Who Moved My Cheese? provides a simple, powerful message to the person confronted with unwelcome change.

In part two of this post (I Need to Move Your Cheese…) I will be exploring the other side of change, that is, when YOU are the agent of change instead of the recipient.

What kind of change are you going through right now? How are you handling it? What did you learn? Could you have handled it any better? I would love to hear some of your stories…