Changing times…

They say that one thing that is constant in life is change. Changes can be planned or unplanned, life changing or just bumps in the road, sudden or very gradual. Whatever the situation, change asks of us to adapt to the “new normal” and move on with our lives.

​While adapting, we often have to examine how we perceive change plus the qualities and skills we need to develop in order to capitalize on the changes. Taking new approaches can be a challenge and throw us into great discomfort, we crave the known, we love security, change, even when planned is all about the unknown, unexplored territory.

When in the discomfort zone we get sad, angry, grief ridden and in deep denial about what is happening to us, cries of “Why is this happening to me?” “ I am not going to do this” “ We do not deserve this” ring out. Dealing with our difficult feelings is essential both to help us build our resilience and clear a way so see new possibilities and opportunities that emerge from change. When we are in discomfort it drains our energy and we can lose our focus, however this time is often where the seeds of new ways of being in the world are silently planted.

Change needs energy, lots of it! To boost our energy and go forward with more ease we can work on many things, diet and exercise, the ability to accept, positive self talk, acknowledging what you have the power to control and not control, to name but a few.

Practicing the following three things help greatly to work with change in a positive way.

Courage. Courage is shown when we acknowledge our fears in a situation but still make the decision to act. Courage is like a muscle, the more we use it, the stronger it gets. With courage comes a feeling of strength and confidence.

Adaptability: We can adapt to new situations in our lives if we are willing to think and behave differently. Adaptability is a skill that needs practice. Being open minded, receptive to new ideas, creative in the way we seek solutions to problems, all boost our adaptability. Stubbornness and all our nothing thinking are barriers to adaptability.

Patience: The exciting thing about change is that with all the best planning in the world be never can truly say with great accuracy what the end result will be. In change we often want to see immediate results, know the ending to the story. The frustration and stress we feel causes mental turbulence and an inability to see how far we have progressed. Patience helps us stay in the moment, produces clarity of thinking and helps us take more measured, effective approaches to change.

​Change can be messy, scary, painful, beautiful, thrilling and kind, embrace it. Let it teach you, inspire you and lead you to a new understanding of your life.