Three Lessons I Learned the Hard Way on How to Face Change
- Parul Somani
- Oct 24, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 26
I originally shared these reflections in October 2023 in honor of nine years in remission from breast cancer. I'm preserving that context here because the lessons were shaped by experiences I would never have chosen but that fundamentally changed how I think about uncertainty and change.
Three Lessons for Facing Change
Moving forward is a choice
When we're in the early stages of an unwanted change, it is important to process our uncomfortable emotions. Sadness and anger are natural feelings and an important part of the emotional rollercoaster. Ultimately, however, we reach a point where we have to decide we're ready to feel differently. We may not "move on," but we can choose to move forward.
Are you ready to make "the choice"?
Hope is not a course of action
I was scared, overwhelmed, and at risk of being consumed by fear and self-pity. Staying hopeful was important, but it wasn't enough. I needed to DO something. I needed to identify what I could control in an uncontrollable situation and seize it. Action led to empowerment.
What lies in your circle of control and what moments of empowerment can you seize?
When uncertain, choose your Path of Least Regret®
Hard decisions can be overwhelming, if not paralyzing. When I had to choose my treatment plan, there were tough tradeoffs and uncertain outcomes. Since there was no easy answer or "path of least resistance," I chose my "path of least regret." This decision-making lens continues to serve me in relationships, health, career, and more.
What is your aspiration and the Path of Least Regret® to pursue it?
-------------
AUTHOR'S NOTE (August 2026): These ideas would become part of a broader question at the center of my work: How do we move forward with clarity when certainty isn't possible? I explore that question through the Path of Least Regret® framework.
-------------
ABOUT PARUL SOMANI
Parul Somani is a decision strategist, keynote speaker, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of The Path of Least Regret. A graduate of MIT and Harvard Business School, she combines behavioral science, strategic decision-making, and lived experience to help leaders navigate uncertainty and make values-aligned choices with greater clarity and confidence. Her work has been featured by Forbes, NPR, Inc., Oprah Daily, and Psychology Today.
Follow Parul on LinkedIn and Instagram, and receive a free decision-making guide when you join her mailing list at parulsomani.com/freeguide.
