If You Don’t Change, Change Will Change You

I hate change! Surprise, surprise - who doesn't? We're hard wired to seek comfort and security because venturing out into the unknown meant uncertainty and danger. We resist and wish for things to remain the same, but the more we resist, the harder it gets. But the reality is that if you don't change, change will change you.

Here are some ways that can make adapting to change a little bit easier:

Accept there will be change
”Everything flows” said Heraclitus, reminding us that every single second that we are alive, everything around us changes in small and big ways. The sooner we realize and accept that change is the only constant, the easier it will be to navigate it. Whether it's a new manager, a shift in project deadlines or our kids leaving home, life will be full of changes and it's our job as humans to live with them.

Focus on what you can control
There's no point in spending time, effort or worry about what is out of our sphere of control. If change comes from outside (as it usually does), then our best bet is to focus on the things we can actually have an impact on: our behaviour, our words, our choices, the way we spend our time, where we put our energy and how we prepare ourselves.

Challenge your worrying mind
The mind is a potent little machine that is wired to make scenarios about the future to figure out all the ways that things can go wrong. If you find that your mind is particularly chatty, challenge your thoughts. Assess every one of these scenarios and make a plan to prepare yourself accordingly. Most likely, you will see that these thoughts are just...thoughts!

Remember you’ve survived change in the past
Remind yourself that you've done this before. In fact, you're a master of change! You've been navigating and surviving changes all your life and quite successfully so, since you're still here and thriving. Remember all the times you resisted or dreaded change, and how you overcame it and sometimes even came out even better afterwards.