You face some big changes and challenges as you make the transition from school years to higher education - or into your first job / new job - especially if you also move location. Its hard to think what doesn’t change in some way!

It’s a non-trivial shift, and your hoozyu can be a great support to you, in two ways:

  1. by helping you understand what is likely to be easy for you, and what is likely to be most challenging

  2. by showing you what you need in place to make the big change more comfortable and sustainable for yourself so you can manage it as successfully as possible!


Easy vs Challenging


Easy vs challenging

Think about your grid symbols first: what they show you about what you will likely find easy, and what you may find a struggle. This will help you think about what you might overlook or fail to do. (Remember the labels for the grid colours: Red = do, Green = sell, Blue = think, and Yellow = administrate)


Let’s start with Interests (the asterisk)

Have a look at the colour of your asterisk on the Grid, and think about what this suggests may be true for you.

To give you an example: I have Red Interests which means I‘m fine doing the practical stuff of life, like getting together the things I need, packing my belongings to move house or go to another country, setting up my new workplace, finding my way around a new city on public transport etc… But what I really don’t find easy is the more ‘Yellow’ stuff, like paperwork & admin, new registrations, setting up accounts, sorting out phone contracts, bills etc. I have to ‘make myself’ do these things so I don’t end up in a mess!

Reflection/Action: When facing something new what do you think you will be ok with, and what will you need to put extra effort in to doing? You may need to ask for help, to do the things that don’t come naturally or easily to you, or that you don’t understand how to do, or why they’re important!


Now look at your Usual Behaviour (the diamond)

This shows you how you will usually behave, what situations you find easy or challenging, and even what first impression others may get of you. Will you be more extrovert, outgoing, louder (top of the grid) or more introvert, reserved, quieter (bottom of the grid) - or somewhere in-between?

If you are more extrovert you may find it easy to just join in with activities, sports, parties and social events, or to join classmates or colleagues going out for lunch together. If you are introvert you may not really want to do those things. You may find it easier to be doing something ‘quieter’ - either alone or together with those whom you share an interest or connection with.

Your Usual Behaviour can help you see what you‘ll find easy or challenging: Easy to make friends vs harder to make friends. Easy to speak up in class or during meetings vs difficult to speak up. Hard to listen and settle to work vs easy to listen and get on with work. Harder to explore options and implications vs easy to consider different options… And much more! Remember, one way is not better or worse, its simply different. You can be confident in whoever you are, but there’s always some implications to be aware of.

Reflection/Action: What in your new situation are you going to find most challenging? What goal can you set yourself so you tackle this positively and don’t let it hinder you?


What do you need in place?


What do you need in place as you face the new and challenging?

There are some things you need in place from people or your environment that will make a big difference to you as you navigate a big change in your life.

You can learn what these are by looking at your Needs symbol (the circle). Remember this tells you what kind of environment and support will work best for you, and make you feel most comfortable. Being aware of your needs will help you know what you may miss from the situation you are leaving behind, and what you will need to look for in the new situation. For example, you may miss the familiarity of your routine, you may miss the freedom and flexibility of student life, you may miss family or friends, you may miss the recognition you enjoy as a leader in some area, or the activities or favourite places you had access to.

We get our needs met in different ways, and when things change we can find ourselves without something that we didn’t realise was so important; that friend or mentor who always encouraged me, my role as leader of the netball team, the great clarity and feedback my teacher or manager gave me, the person who always asked how I was feeling and listened to me, the opportunity to work on creative projects, or what ever it might be…


Two extra tips:

  • Intentionally engaging with your interests can make a big difference to your well being and motivation in new situations. (Check out your top 3 Interest scores as a great starting place)

  • Noticing when you are experiencing/exhibiting your stress behaviours can help alert you to times when your needs are not being met. (The Stress Check can help you identify when things aren’t going well for you)

Reflection/Action: As you go into something new, what are you leaving behind that currently helps meet your needs? How can you fill the gaps as you go forward, and look after your own needs, in order to manage and sustain yourself better?