FACING INTO CHANGE – Dealing with Life Transitions

FACING INTO CHANGE

A learning programme for dealing with life transitions.

Course Presenters

The course will be presented by Eileen Quinn and Tom Doyle. Both Tom and Eileen are

retirees from the management team at the Institute of Technology in Blanchardstown that is

now part of TU Dublin. Both completed doctoral degrees in the area of organisational

change and the role of individuals in effecting such change. Both are experienced group

facilitators.

This workshop series consists of 8 x 2 hour sessions.

About the programme

There are times in our lives when we feel compelled to be more intentional about change, to

seek a different future, to discover what is possible and act on those discoveries rather than

waiting passively for something to happen. We sense that we have reached some transition

point, where what went before can no longer apply, where the future can seem uncertain or

maybe unsettling.

For many of us, retiring or departing from a structured work environment marks such a

pivotal transition. It challenges us to redefine how we perceive time and work, our family and

community connections, about how we want to shape the future story our lives.

What do we mean by facing into change?

Facing into change is about embarking on a course of action despite an uncertain outcome,

driven by a belief that the pursuit itself holds meaning. It is meaningful because even if we

cannot foretell our future, we know we can change what is possible in that future. It is an

optimistic stance with the anticipation that there is always a preferable state to what we live

with at present. The process does not begin with some clearly defined end point in mind but

instead emerges from a deeper awareness of our present situation and self -perception, the

story we tell about ourselves. It involves reflection and dialogue about what is happening

now, believing that future possibilities will emerge from this new awareness. Such a change

process might appear to occur haphazardly. In fact, it is not random but very much

influenced by how we engage with it.

Engaging openly with change

We start by accepting that we ourselves are the most important instrument of change, that

facing into change involves a new and more open way of attending to the world.

Writers on change talk about three essential characteristics needed to allow transformative change to happen:

•       An open mind enables us to question old mental models or preconceptions about ourselves

and others that can be a source of resistance to change. We suspend judgement and

criticism and approach our present life situation with curiosity and openness to new ideas.

We begin to craft a richer life story about ourselves and how it might evolve.

•       An open heart allows us to be gentle with ourselves and have empathy for others. It allows

us to listen more deeply and have more authentic conversations from which come the

insights and trust that guide us during periods of change.

•       An open will allows us to act on these new perspectives, to try new things and be open to

learning from such experiments. It involves taking purposeful action which aligns with what

we believe is good for ourselves and those around us.

How this programme can help

We believe that these ideas have particular relevance to people at this phase of life.

Retirement is now being reframed as a time to harvest, to make new connections, to be who

we want to be. Our programme is essentially an opportunity to practice this type of

engagement. It provides a framework and a forum for reflection and dialogue, an opportunity

to explore in a structured way the why, how and wherewithal of facing into change at this

particular life juncture.

The aims of the programme are to:

•       Provide participants with a new perspective on the possibilities and challenges that

retirement and other life transitions can hold.

•       Advocate for a response that involves actively engaging with such transitions rather

than passively letting them happen by demonstrating the process of emergent change and our role in shaping its outcome.

•       Show how this approach can lead to a deeper awareness of what we want to achieve

and how we want to be in this period of our lives.

•       Provide participants with the tools that will enable them to take the first steps towards

making such transitions.

Who is it for?

The programme is intended for those who have recently retired or are contemplating

retirement and are open to new ways of thinking about personal growth and change.