My yellow Labrador, Bo, hasnt done well with the recent birth of my youngest son. Bo is five years old, but since we brought home the young babe, he has reverted to things he hadnt done since he was a puppy. He is peeing all over the house, tearing up furniture, and avoiding us as a sign of defiance.

It may seem silly for Bo to act this way, but think about how YOU act when faced with change. Sure, you dont start peeing everywhere or tearing up furniture, but do you lose control or resort to childish behaviors?

Change is constant and affects every area of your life. At work, in any given day, your products, customers, delivery schedules, or companys policies could change. The way you react to these changes can either cause you to lose focus and sales, or it can propel you into greater success. Its YOUR CHOICE!

Because fear is such a strong emotion, it creates an enormous amount of energy in a person. Unfortunately, that energy tends to be negative and destructive. People dislike change because it puts them face-to-face with an even greater fear the unknown. People who fear change see themselves as the victim. They feel unprepared and inadequate to conquer whatever may come before them. They think they have lost control when, in reality, they have given it up through their defeatist attitude.

An attitude like this is internally damaging to your focus and motivation and externally destructive throughout the company. When people are afraid, they can act like a puppy that has just been yelled at, putting their tail between their legs and peeing themselves. They spew out negative comments to others, making others as afraid as they are.

While fear is natural, there is a way to manage it and even use it to your advantage. You can turn fear into positive energy by CHOOSING TO DO SO and by taking control of your attitude and actions.

Be strong in your convictions.

Stop allowing others to determine your mood; you know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. Choose to do what is right and be proud of your decision. It may be difficult, but it makes all the difference in your personal success and the success of your company.

Be confident in your abilities.

Trust yourself. When everybody in your company is thinking negative, its easy for doubt to creep in. Dont let it! You do good work, you are an asset to the company trust in your abilities and focus on the positive contributions that you make.

Be proud of the work that you do.

Work for yourself first. Strive to be the best for your reasons, not someone elses. Being accountable to yourself first will help you see the purpose and pride in ANY work that you do, even if the task seems menial. You wont need validation from everyone around you if youre proud of who you are and what you do. With this independence, youll have the inner-confidence needed to weather any storm.

Learning to take control of yourself in a changing situation will allow you to turn the energy that fear creates into POSITIVE energy. Although it may be easier to react negatively, challenge yourself to find the positive aspects and opportunities that lie within every change. When you see change as a challenge and an opportunity, you will get excited about it! Your energy and new and improved attitude will become contagious, quickly spreading throughout your company.

Changing your attitude will change your results. While others are still moaning and groaning, youll be on the phone with future customers, discussing new opportunities. Your choice to stay positive is all in your mind. You control your mind; you control the situation; you control the outcome.