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Change is an inevitable part of life. Clinging to what is will not prevent or equip you to manage what will be.
Diligence can affect change, but it will not prevent it from happening. If you resist change, this is scary news. If you love change, it’s part of the thrill.
Loving or loathing change is often tied to a few things:
● Frequency and intensity of change
● Types of change
● Experiences during the stages of change
The frequency of change makes an impact. Too much, too soon can rattle you and make you apprehensive. The intensity can also play a part in how you react to change. Not all changes are bad, but they aren’t all good either. Not all change is against your will but not all change is something you've signed up for. How often you’ve experienced change and the intensity can create a predisposition to resist or embrace seasons of change.
The word change may excite you or scare you. This is tied to your personal experience with the significant changes you've faced in life so far. There are types of change that are fun and exciting, like getting married. AND there are types of change that are life-altering, like losing your job.
Your comfort level with change is generally tied to how many positive experiences you have had, tempered with how many negative changes you’ve had to manage.
Believe it or not, a negative change doesn’t guarantee a negative experience. It is entirely possible to go through a bad experience and not have too bad of a reaction. Everyone is different. How they perceive and experience change is tied to many factors:
● Personal disposition
● Support system
● Morals and values
● Resiliency muscle
Change is going to happen. Some of it you’ll choose with intention and some of it you’ll react to out of necessity. Either way, you can embrace change as part of life and be ready when it comes.
Here are 6 tips for Embracing Change
Remember that change is inevitable, normal, and necessary. Specifically, you might like to use this sentence (or one like it) as an affirmation! Repeat it as often as resistance to change comes up.
Name and acknowledge the changes you are experiencing. You might say to yourself, “Things are changing, and that is okay” or “Whoa, a lot is shifting, and this feels tough.” Whether you feel grateful about the change or not, naming the experience is an excellent way to accept what is.
Claim your control. Analyze the situation and determine which elements are within your control and out of your control".
Separate yourself from the experience. You are not defined by one change; you are a whole person with vast and diverse experiences. Yes, life changes can impact you greatly, but, you get to decide what each transition will mean for you.
Maintain self-care routines and rituals. While things are shifting in life, it can be helpful to rely on a small handful of self-care practices that ground and support you. For instance, I try to read, meditate and do yoga, daily. What is on your go-to self-care list?
Focus on resilience. Each change will bring with it some level of discomfort. As you meet this discomfort and discover new parts of yourself, you are gaining wisdom.
The ability to continuously accept change allows you to become as solid as a rock in the midst of the storms around you—even if you feel afraid. Knowing this as a positive result of change will help you discover the motivation to embrace it.