It’s happening again.

Before I know it – without a conscious thought – “it” transforms from an innocent concern into a life-changing catastrophe. It changes from a passing thought to an unstoppable force that morphs into a dramatic even. An event that only happens in my mind, with little (if any) basis in reality.  It becomes a never ending cycle of negativity that builds upon itself, mutates, and then buries me.

Before I know it I’ve turned a small ripple of discontent in my life into a tsunami that washes away everything else in my head and replaces it with fragments of debilitating thought debris. I latch onto this negative thought and start retelling my story with the worst possible outcome. I instantly find proof of my thoughts; examples that make me think this must be fact and the last chapter has already been written.

I work for a large company that restructures itself whenever it’s necessary to catch a shift in the market, be more agile and productive, or gain competitive advantage. It feels like we reorganize every few months but in reality it’s every few years.

Early on in my career an upcoming reorganization would trigger this thought pattern: this is happening again? I am probably getting yet another new manager. I have to start all over again and prove myself. My job will probably change. I bet it won’t be as challenging, rewarding, and fun as my current role.  How am I supposed to grow my career when my role, responsibilities, chain of command, and everything else changes every 6-12 months? And oh.my.goodness…what if I get LAID OFF?

Then I have a choice. I can perpetuate the cycle or stop it in its tracks.

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