We resist change because we are creatures of habit. Our brains are wired to repeat the same thing, over and over again, regardless of how good or bad the habit.
To put it simply…to change your habits is to change your life.
Most of us lead fairly routine lives, and that’s how we stay organized and meet our commitments and get everything done. Sometimes people ask me how to know when one is going through a change when everything is usually so typical, conventional, and “normal” day after day after day.
Sensing the seeds of change.
Sometimes we get an external shakeup that precipitates change. Other times we come across more slow-moving circumstances which make us feel uncomfortable or pushed out of our “comfort zone.”
Either way, when you sense it the best thing to do is surrender…and in that surrender you’ll find a sense of curiosity.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?
Did that question really make you think?
How often do we really take risks? How often do we change routines completely the opposite of what we know? Not often. You never know what you may discover if you do something new, and the more risks you take in life, the more you get to find out who you really are.
[Related: Embrace the Changes in Your Business and Personal Life]
Change brings opportunity.
When you are going through change, your mind expands in ways that you haven’t experienced before, and it really brings light to your limitations. It opens up the possibilities of learning new ways of working. It makes you more flexible and adaptable – because everything is just one big adventure!
You learn ways to embrace chaos that seem foreign, and you become more adaptable, more flexible with what is going on.
When we are brave enough to look at change, and “let it be” without reacting to it, our confidence grows. Always remember that we don’t have to respond to change until we’re ready, which puts us back in the driver’s seat. When we have fun with change, it is far less daunting.
[Related: 10 Motivational Quotes to Break the Perfectionism Bad Habit]
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Some studies suggest that people who learn to thrive on change are happier than people who resist it and spend their lives cocooned in similarity and familiarity.
Of course, you have to play to your own strengths, and stark contrast or rapid change is not for everyone, so start with little changes. Embrace new routines and say “yes” to doing things differently.
When you do, you are opening your mindset to new experiences and opportunities, new people, new skills, and increasing self-esteem. It’s only when we experience fear that we find courage.
If you want to live your life to your fullest potential, then you need to be open to change and variety. Change is inevitable. Change helps us grow, and even if it leads you to an outcome that isn’t exactly what you originally had in mind, there’s always something to learn.
Change at times will take you in a different direction, and we might momentarily feel lost or worried, but every situation passes eventually.
Without change, we’d have no seasons, no rain, no sun, no snow, and no moon. Change is at the heart of the cycle of life. Change is the difference between day and night. So welcome change…and watch the magic unfold.
[Related: Three Ways Women Can Turn Fear of Failure Into Fearless Action]
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Catherine Plano works one-on-one with women to help them reconnect with themselves. In 2012, she launched the I AM WOMAN Project, which is now a global weekly podcast where women from all over the world share their stories.
Originally published on Ellevate.
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