Change Hurts, But It’s Also Your Secret Weapon: How to Turn Uncertainty into Opportunity
By Atip Muangsuwan
” Aware, Understand, Accept, Pivot, Reflect and Adjust is a mantra for being resilient. “
Atip Muangsuwan
CEO Coach and Coach Supervisor
The Day Everything Changed
Joy had just finished her morning coffee when the email hit her inbox. “Department Restructure Effective Immediately.” Her hands shook. After 20 years in marketing, her role—alongside 40% of her team—was being eliminated. Panic set in. “What now? Who even am I without this job?”
That’s when she called me.
As her coach, I’d seen this before: talented professionals paralyzed by change, mistaking a career earthquake for the end of their story. But Joy’s journey—guided by the 5-step framework I’ve honed over years of coaching leaders through crises—proves that even the most jarring transitions can become catalysts for reinvention.
Step 1: Awareness – “Name It to Tame It”
The moment Joy stopped scrolling job boards in denial, everything shifted.
“I felt like I was grieving a breakup,” she told me during our first session. But when I challenged her to write it down, she wrote, “My job is gone. I’m terrified, but part of me is relieved,” it was like fog lifting.
Why this works:
Our brains treat uncertainty like a physical threat. By journaling the facts (“Department dissolved due to AI automation”) and her messy emotions (“Angry at leadership, but excited to escape burnout”), Joy did something revolutionary: She turned panic into data.
Coaching Insight:
In our sessions, we dug into a 2023 Harvard study showing that people who journal during transitions make decisions 34% faster. Words make the invisible visible—a principle I now weave into every client’s reset plan.
Step 2: Understanding the ‘Why’ – “Play Detective, Not Victim”
Joy spent days researching. She discovered her company wasn’t heartless—they were desperate. Clients demanded AI-driven campaigns, and legacy teams couldn’t adapt.
“Your coaching helped me realize,” she said later, “this wasn’t about me. It was like the whole industry was yelling ‘Learn or die.’”
Why this works:
Fear thrives in ambiguity. Clarity drives fear away! The fact diluted her anger—a pattern I’ve seen unlock clarity for dozens of clients.
Actionable Twist:
I asked Joy to try my “5 Whys” exercise: Keep asking “Why did this happen?” until you hit macroeconomic truths (e.g., “Why layoffs?” → “AI adoption grew 300%” → “Clients want faster ROI”).
Step 3: Acceptance – “Burn the List”
During a pivotal session, Joy wrote two lists:
- Can’t Control: “CEO’s decisions,” “AI replacing some tasks,” “Industry volatility”
- Can Control: “Upskill in AI tools,” “Reconnect with old network,” “Health to stay sharp”
She burned the first list in her sink. “Watching that paper turn to ash? Freeing. Like permission to stop fighting ghosts.”
Why this works:
Stanford researchers found rituals of release (like burning) reduce regret by 45%. It’s now a ritual I prescribe to clients clinging to “what ifs.”
Step 4: Pivot – “The Phoenix Career”
Joy’s “What If?” list surprised us both:
- “What if I freelance for startups needing hybrid (human + AI) marketing?”
- “What if I mentor younger marketers on navigating tech shifts?”
- “What if I finally write that novel about corporate culture?”
She chose Door #1 but added a twist I encouraged: Only take remote roles to travel—a dream she’d buried for years.
Coaching Win:
Within 90 days, Joy landed 3 clients paying 20% more than her old salary. “Turns out, being laid off was my ‘push’ to build the life I kept fantasizing about during Zoom meetings.”
Step 5: Reflect & Adjust – “The 15-Minute Future”
Every Friday, Joy now asks (as I also shared with my other clients):
- “What worked? (e.g., Charging premium rates for AI strategy)”
- “What didn’t work? (e.g., Underestimating project timelines)”
- “What’s next? (Add an ‘AI for Creatives’ webinar)”
“It’s like GPS recalculating the routes,” she laughs. “I used to obsess over perfection. Now I just…iterate.”
Your Turn: How to Bounce Forward, Not Back
Joy’s story isn’t unique—it’s a framework I’ve shared with executives, entrepreneurs, and rising leaders. Here’s your starter kit:
- Write the ugly truth (No toxic positivity allowed)
- Interview the change (Treat it like a journalist, not a defendant)
- Host a funeral for “what was” (Burn, delete, or shred it—ceremony matters)
- Pitch your “Phoenix Career” (Brainstorm wildly—then refine)
- Schedule weekly “recalculations” (15 minutes. No excuses.)
The Real Lesson from Coaching Joy
Change doesn’t build resilience—how you respond to it does. The leaders I coach don’t “recover” from layoffs, mergers, or market crashes. They emerge with sharper skills, truer priorities, and the quiet confidence of people who’ve learned: You’ve rebuilt yourself before. You can do it again.
And with the right framework and mindset, you’ll do it faster—and with far less agony.
Leaders—Your Next Move Isn’t About “Surviving” Change. It’s About Owning It.
If you’re steering a team through uncertainty, facing your own career pivot, or tired of watching talented people stall in fear—let’s talk.
The best leaders don’t wait for stability. They create it—from the inside out.
About Atip Muangsuwan: Atip Muangsuwan is the Founder & CEO of The Best Coach International Co., Ltd. He is a CEO & UHNWI Coach, Certified Mentor & Supervisor for global executive coaches, Holistic Life Transformation Expert, Business & Life Strategist, and Corporate Facilitator/Trainer. With a proven track record of helping clients achieve their career goals and job promotions, Atip is dedicated to supporting individuals in their personal and professional growth.