The Change Habit: A Simple Guide to Making the Most of an Unexpected Transition

By Ethan A. Freckleton

Are you ready to start living in alignment with your wants and needs? This is the most compassionate and pragmatic self-help guide you'll ever read.

 

You may not know it yet, but you and your inner child have just been gifted the opportunity of a lifetime. As a self-employed creative, I'm making a living creating and doing work I truly love. And as a certified coach, I'm helping award-winning filmmakers, best-selling authors, and other self-employed creatives to do the same. 

 

Twelve years ago, I wouldn't have thought it was possible. In 2007, I was divorced, in debt, and stuck in a soul-sucking job. I felt alone, out of place, and a world apart from my hopes and dreams. With nothing else to lose, I realized it was time to start identifying and honoring my own boundaries, and stop prioritizing the needs of others ahead of my own. So, even though I was scared, I began pursuing my life-long dream of becoming a self-employed creative and I'm so glad I did.

 

My life isn't perfect. I still struggle with fear, but I no longer let it define my story. That's why I wrote this book, because I don't want anyone to give up on their dreams. 

 

In this book, I'm going to give you the tools to turn your unexpected transition into a fulfilling self-transformation. Are you ready to examine the places you're feeling stuck and create a plan for getting unstuck? 

 

I'm ready for you: BUY your copy of The Change Habit and let's get started!

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Listening Spot, LLC
• Release date: Feb 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386459606

Book preview

Introduction

What is this book?

The Change Habit is half-memoir and half-workbook. In 2018 I lost my job, throwing my life into a period of transition sooner than I was expecting. I had to rely on my tools learned as a life coach to realign my habits and goals to support making the most of things.

In the chapters to come, I share my process for creating a pragmatic, sustainable habit of change that sets the conditions for continual growth and empowerment. By sharing my process, I hope to inspire you to do the work and examine your own opportunities for growth and change.

I invite you to follow along.

Who am I?

I’m Ethan Freckleton and for the purposes of this book I am your buddy during times of transition.

As a teen, I played chess with Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen. I went on have enjoy a 20-year career in tech, working with countless smart and talented people.

We all evolve.

Now I write books and support the growth of self-employed creatives.

Since publishing The Change Habit, I’ve helped over 4000 people in transition learn how to make life-changing decisions they can trust.

If there’s anything I’ve learned along the way, it’s that no matter a person’s gifts—myself included—one will find themself at a crossroads, likely struggling with feelings of anxiety, stress, and burnout.

I can help.

Who is this book for?

The ideal reader has identified one or more unfulfilled needs, goals, or dreams and has unexpectedly found themselves experiencing the gift of a major life transition.

You may not be viewing it that way.

Maybe you’ve been putting off your needs, wants, dreams, desires. Waiting for that time when ___…you can fill in the blank. When you have more time. When you have saved enough money. When you’ve met the right person or persons. When, when, when…

Ready or not, lightning has struck in your life and you are in the middle of an unexpected transition. Even if you’re still waiting for those When conditions to occur, opportunity is knocking. Are you willing to open the door and take a peek?

Whether you’ve lost a job, become unpartnered, or otherwise become separated from a foundation in your life, here you be. If you’re lucky, you suddenly have some extra free time on your hands. Enough to self-reflect:

What is important to me now?

What do I need in this moment?

Am I ready to use this time to create a lasting benefit to my life?

This book isn’t for everyone.

I intend no ill-will or judgment when I say that this book is not for everyone. Getting to a place where you can feel empowered to change the course of your life is a journey that we all take.

I’m not going to sugar-coat. Not everyone gets there. Some people keep waiting for someone else to fix it for them.

If you’re reading this book, that’s not you.

You understand or at least suspect that you can have major influence over the course of events in your life. While you can’t directly control what happens to you, you can definitely control how you respond.

If you’re feeling stuck in your life and ready to make the move forward, read on. If you’re not sure where to move forward to, I invite you to explore what you need to feel permission to dream and live your own life. There are plenty of reasons why we get stuck. I’m in no way advocating that those reasons are invalid. There are ample tools and resources out there for getting through the feeling of being stuck, if you’re willing to look. For finding self-empowerment, self-love, and self-acceptance, I think it’s worth trying.

When you’re ready to dream big and take an active role in navigating times of change toward something positive and amazing, I’ll be here, ready to take your hand and help you move forward.

Materials

I highly encourage you to keep a notebook handy or a journal, as well as a timer and something to write with.

I’ll have some activities for you to complete to help you develop your own change habit. You may also find yourself inspired and choose to capture your thoughts while they’re hot in your mind.

Are you ready?

Are you ready to turn your unexpected transition into a fulfilling self-transformation? Are you ready to examine the places you’re feeling stuck and create a plan for getting unstuck?

Near the end of this book, I talk about accountability. But, why wait to find an accountability partner? I invite you, to press pause and considering taking 15 minutes to tell me (at no cost) about your unexpected transition:

https://calendly.com/ethanfreckleton/15min

Now that you’ve taken that big step, are you ready to continue?

1

Ready or Not

Author’s note: It’s been well over a year since I wrote this book, and my commitment to embracing habits and change have led me to a place where I can genuinely say that life keeps getting better.

My Unexpected Transition

What unexpected change led me here?

Eighteen months ago, I moved to Bellingham, Washington with my beautiful life partner, Jennifer, and our children, Emeline and Tristan.

We made an intentional choice to start over in a location that had so much to offer. Here, we would have willing family available to help raise our children. Plus, the area offers an inspiring mix of coastline and mountainous terrain. There’s a notable lack of traffic and a slower pace to life. This move would offer each of us an opportunity to grow into new careers that felt aligned with our purpose.

In truth, as much as it was a move to Bellingham, it was equally a move away from the traffic-riddled, fast-paced life in the Greater Seattle area. Symbolically, the move represented our choice