Elena Agafonova

Coach | Author | Happiness Explorer 🌱

Letters of Change A weekly space for happiness, self-trust & the art of living well Let’s begin gently

Hello and welcome, Reader!

Lately, I've noticed a trend that's becoming increasingly common.

People don’t struggle with change because they are not acting.

They struggle because they move at the wrong time.

Some move too fast.
Others wait too long.

And surprisingly, both paths often lead to the same place.

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Two Ways We Get Lost

Many people suddenly find themselves in a difficult situation.

Their role is at risk.
Their job disappears.
Or the pressure becomes too high to ignore.

They react quickly.

They take a short course.
They repackage their skills.
They choose a new direction that seems practical and accessible.

“English teacher.”
“Coach.”
“Consultant.”

Within weeks, they are ready to start.

And then comes the next surprise.

There are no clients.
No students.
No real demand yet.

Not because they are not capable.

But because the direction was chosen under pressure, not clarity.

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Then there is another group.

People for whom everything still looks fine on the surface.

They are experienced.
Well-paid.
Respected.

Yet something inside has already shifted.

The work no longer brings energy.
The meaning feels diluted.

Still, they wait.

They tell themselves:

“I just need a bit more time.”
“I’ll think about it later.”
“It’s not that bad.”

Until one day, the situation changes unexpectedly.

A restructuring.
A new strategy.
A role disappears.

And suddenly, the comfort mode turns into survival.

From the outside, it looks like a new beginning.

Inside, it often leads to the same rushed decisions as in the first case.

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The Loop

This is the loop I see again and again:

It doesn’t matter where it starts: comfort or crisis

Without clarity, both paths tend to converge.

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A Different Way to Begin

A few days ago, I listened to a conversation with Seth Godin that captured something essential.

He suggested asking two simple questions before starting something new:

When you answer these questions concretely, the next step is no longer abstract.

It becomes real.

For one person.
In one situation.
With one clear outcome.

That creates something we often miss in transitions:

Feedback.

And feedback changes everything.

It allows you to adjust, refine, and move forward without guessing.

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A Small Shift

Instead of asking:

“What should I become next?”

You might try something simpler:

“Who can I help right now, and how exactly?”

Not as a final answer.

As a starting point.

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A Question For You

If you look at your current situation:

Are you rushing into something new just to feel safe?
Or are you waiting and hoping that things will resolve themselves?

And what would a smaller, more concrete step look like from here?

Transformation doesn’t require speed.

It requires direction.

With warmth,

Elena