You either stayed up late last night or heard the news first thing this morning.  Whether you voted for Barack Obama or not, he is our new United States President.

Supporters of Obama may be feeling hopeful this morning, while supporters of McCain may feel discouraged or even scared.  With change comes uncertainty and a fear of the unknown.  None of us truly have any way to predict what changes will take place in our country as the result of Obama being our new president.  In reality, we don't have a tremendous amount of power over what takes place with our government.  We did what we thought was best by voting into office the candiates we felt would bring about the change we wanted to see.

While our government goes through the process of change at the White House, we too can learn to embrace change.  Nothing you say or do is going to change the outcome of the election, but there are some things you can do to ease into this transition.

First, it can be helpful to accept that Obama is our new president.  Although you may not agree with everything Obama represents, he does have positive strengths and characteristics.  Take a moment to acknowledge that.  Even though you may disagree with Obama it does not mean the man is not worthy of recognition for what he does bring to the table.  For me personally, I value intelligence and there is no doubt Obama is an extremely intelligent man.  Not everyone can graduate at the top of Harvard Law School.  Look for the positive you see in Obama and focus on that.

Secondly, if you're feeling fearful of what the new changes will mean to you, face those fears head on.  What are you afraid is going to happen to you and your family?  How likely is it that your fears will actually come true?  Sometimes our imagined fears don't actually come to fruition.  What is your plan if your fears do come true?  How will you respond?  Having a strategic plan in place can help you feel empowered to conquer whatever comes your way.

Third, you can be the change you wish to see in your own family, community, nation or world.  You don't have to stand back and watch the government bring about change.  Empower yourself to change what you can change.  Much of the anxiety that people experience during times of transition stems from the perceived lack of control.  You always have choices for your own life.  It doesn't matter if McCain or Obama is the president, you can be a catalyst for change.  You have the power to create your own future.