Which Stage of Change Are You In?
Descriptions of each stage:
Denial — “This probably won’t really affect us.”
Anger — “Leadership doesn’t understand the real work.”
Bargaining — “We can keep parts of the old way if we adjust.”
Depression — “I don’t have the energy to deal with this anymore.”
Acceptance — “I’m starting to see how this can work.”
In Issue 237, I break down what each stage means and what helps
someone move from one stage to the next.
If you want the breakdown, subscribe below so you don’t miss it.
Which Stage of Change Are You In?
Here’s What It Means — and What Comes Next.
Change isn’t just operational — it’s personal.
The stage you’re in makes sense based on what you’ve built, what you’ve invested, and what you’ve cared about.
There is no “right” or “wrong” stage.
Only where you are now, and what helps you move forward.
1. Denial — “This probably won’t really affect us.”
You’re gathering information and keeping distance to protect what feels familiar and safe. This isn’t avoidance — it’s your mind giving you time to adjust.
What moves you forward:
Clear information
Time to observe patterns
A chance to test new ways in small steps
Small next step:
Choose one part of the change to explore — not commit to — just explore.
Momentum beats certainty.
2. Anger — “Leadership doesn’t understand the real work.”
You’re defending what mattered — your standards, your craft, your care.
Anger is not resistance.
It’s loyalty showing up loud.
What moves you forward:
Being heard without being corrected
Acknowledgment of what was valued
Space to express what feels threatened
Small next step:
Name specifically what you’re afraid will be lost.
Once it’s named, it can be carried forward instead of protected at all costs.
3. Bargaining — “We can keep parts of the old way if we adjust.”
You’re searching for continuity — connection between old identity and new expectations.
This is not clinging.
This is integration starting to happen.
What moves you forward:
Clarifying which skills and values are still transferable
Understanding the difference between meaning and method
Small next step:
List what made your work meaningful.
Then circle the items that are portable into the future.
This is your new foundation.
4. Depression — “I don’t have the energy to care about this anymore.”
This is the stage that feels like stuckness, but it’s actually the release before forward movement.
You are letting go of the old identity — and that takes emotional energy.
What moves you forward:
Rest
Affirmation that the loss is real
Quiet reconnection to purpose
Small next step:
Ask yourself: “What part of my work still matters to me — even now?”
Start there — not with motivation.
Meaning brings energy back.
5. Acceptance — “I’m starting to see how this can work.”
You’re integrating who you were with who you’re becoming.
You’re not “over it.”
You’re reframing identity around what still matters.
What moves you forward:
Experimentation
Sharing your perspective with others still struggling
Shaping the future, not just adapting to it
Small next step:
Teach someone one insight you gained through this.
Teaching solidifies identity in the new reality.
You’re Not Behind. You’re In Progress.
Change is less about systems and more about identity evolution.
You don’t have to rush.
You don’t have to “power through.”
You only have to take the next right-sized step from where you are now.
If you want weekly guidance like this — grounded, practical, human — subscribe and stay subscribed.
There is a path forward.
And you’re already on it.
Pair the Human Factor Podcast and Go Deeper
Episode 005 of the Human Factor Podcast explores these stages from inside the lived experience of transformation — not the PowerPoint version.
Share with Others
If you know someone who’s navigating change, send them this.
Nobody should feel like they’re doing this alone.