Embracing Change
One of our greatest fears is change. What I know for sure, is change is always present and ever evolving throughout our lives. Therefore, if change is in fact inevitable in our life experience, why do we fear it, run from it, and avoid it at all costs?
The definition of change is “to make different, to transform something or someone.” Therefore, change, by its own virtue, pushes us outside our comfort zone and most often presents great challenge.
Through embracing change, we develop self-trust, confidence, and courage to pursue greater endeavors. Therefore, it is only through change that we achieve our highest good.
Change comes in all shapes and sizes. Some changes are planned, and some unplanned. They affect both our personal and professional life.
Planned change is what I refer to as Inspired Change. Those changes we are inspired to affect in our lives for a multitude of reasons, e.g., health, business, family and so on.
Inspired Changes are created through self-awareness and an intention to make a positive difference in our lives, as opposed to those changes that hit us over the head and force us to pay attention.
Imposed Changes are those events that occur without warning and catch us unprepared. We are thrust unwillingly into a set of circumstances that we had not intended nor planned. This is the place where we find ourselves at our most vulnerable. It is also the place where we have the biggest opportunity for discovery, growth, and expansion.
We are driven to enlist resources within ourselves that are unfamiliar and most often unknown. It’s like climbing a mountain for the first time and not knowing if you are up to the task or if you even have the skills to succeed.
Therefore, Imposed Change represents a call to action.
Abiding in the comfort zone is a natural human desire. However, when the call comes, complacency is not an option.
For most of us, probably the most imposing challenge is making a career change, as we invest so much of ourselves and our lives in this endeavor and attach our identity to it. The “money” most often keeps us engaged even when we know deep down that there is something far greater available to us. If I know one, I know a thousand professionals that are in careers that do not serve their souls. They yearn for heartfelt aspirations of a bigger life—a more authentic, meaningful, and fulfilling life.
Most often we compromise with ourselves and squeeze those yearnings into our free time that may appease these yearnings for a while. However, as the voice gets louder, it becomes harder to ignore.
The truth is life is only truly lived outside our comfort zone. With this, I strongly encourage you to embrace every change. Most importantly, don’t let a life change—whatever the circumstance—go unexamined. Through it, you will be transformed for the better.
“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger— but recognize the opportunity.” ~ John F. Kennedy
Food for Thought: What are your change opportunities? How can you transform an imposed or challenge change into an opportunity for expansion.