Navigating change: Understanding and overcoming feelings of uncertainty and loss

Change is one of the predictable aspects of life. Some change happens because we decide it is needed and necessary; some change happens regardless of whether we want it to or not. Much of our work as psychologists is about helping others to manage change and being an agent of change ourselves. Yet change may be hard, even for us.

For leaders, the hardest part of managing change is guiding others through hesitancy and fear of the unknown. The word “resistance” is often used, referring not necessarily to the resistance to change but the resistance to loss. What do I stand to lose? What does it mean to me? How does this affect who I am and what I do?

There are five core types of losses:

1. Safety: Safety is a basic need. The more predictable our lives, the safer we feel. When our or others’ safety is threatened, the more we grasp for predictability and the status quo.
2. Freedom: We want to have autonomy and power to make decisions.
3. Status: The higher status we hold, the more we push back if we stand to lose it.
4. Belonging: We have a need to belong and to be accepted.
5. Fairness: When decisions threaten a sense of fairness and equity, frustration and upset can ensue.

When change occurs, we have to question who we are and our core identity, especially if the change requires us to give up something important to us.

As we enter into times of change, there is a juxtaposition of a new future and the losses of what has been. It is the latter that needs to be acknowledged. As we embark into a new future together, it will be up to each of us to decide how to approach the change. Think about your core identity and values that have guided you and how these can still ground you and your work. These will continue to be the essence of who you are and what you do. Similarly, APA’s mission remains central to our work: “to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.” While change and losses are hard, I believe that we are resilient and we can come together to make the world a better place to live.