I admit it; I am in the minority of people who love change. To me it represents the opportunity for something possibly new and exciting, and it offers a chance of improvement over the status quo. As I said, I am in the minority. Most people have a fear of change.
People rarely like the unknown. Questions begin to surface, fears begin to take hold. But at the same time, if we approach change from a positive perspective, change can teach us life lessons and a lot about ourselves.
Some of the fears and lessons that we can learn include:
What if I don’t fit in?
My husband lived in 18 number of homes before the age of 16. That is a lot of change, especially at a young age, but along with that change he learned to adapt to his surroundings. He broke out of his shell to learn how to make new friends. Change can teach us how to be flexible in our lives and adjustto the new situations and people around us.
How can I leave the comfort of what I know?
Not only are we moving to something new, but we are potentially leaving something behind. Whether it is a way of thinking, a way of doing something or a physical space we let go of something to move forward. People feel comfort in routine and in something they are used to, therefore change can place them out of their comfort zone but it can teach how to release and move forward.
What if I am not good enough?
Many people fear change because they fear failure. Insecurity around having the skills to be good enough may arise. Often as we face change we can discover something about ourselves including we are able to grow and step up to new challenges that we didn’t necessarily expect.
Approaching change with a negative focus will not set you up for success. When change appears try to approach it with a positive outlook. And where you may not embrace it as openly as I do, set your sites on the good that could arise.
So next time change comes your way notice the feelings that first come up for you, whether they are fears or excitement. Then invite yourself to look at the opportunities the change may provide in personal growth and uncovering things about yourself you may have never previously anticipated.
What change have you faced that turned out to be a great opportunity in the end?
