A Change Is Gonna Come

Change…it is ever present and a constant in most of our lives. Yet, somehow we all have a visceral response to change in our environment. For some, change is seen as exciting and full of opportunity or hope. For others, change - no matter the kind - is seen as scary and full of uncertainty. The thing about change that makes it so full of feelings is that it forces us to confront the limits of our control on our world. That, in turn can be immensely challenging for some us, thrilling for others of us. The way in which we position ourselves in relation to control/power offers hints as to how we will navigate changes in our world.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to control your immediate environment. Indeed, having a measure of control - a measure of power over what happens in our life - helps us feel the world is a predictable place on which we can rely. This predictability is inherently soothing to our brains and thus ourselves. The more we can feel we have a say in what happens in our life, the more confident we feel about effecting positive outcomes in said life and ultimately, the more we believe we can rely on ourselves. The thing is, that this idea of control, of power, of self-reliance and being able to have a say in how our life goes…it is way more about mindset than anything else. It is our interpretation of the events in our life that leads us to feel we are directing or being directed, since we all know it isn’t easy to actually control the world around us...

Now, it is not as easy as just thinking differently…but it kind of is as simple as shifting your thought process. Moving away from seeing change as scary and full of danger. Rather, trying each time to approach change with openness; giving yourself reminders of why this change will help you move closer to your ultimate goals - or maybe encouragement that it will help you continue on a path away from problematic patterns; beginning to believe that you will be able to manage the inevitable ripples that come with any shift in a life’s path. All of these adjustments to your mindset can allow for a different way to be in the face of change and open the doors to even more opportunity. Over time it becomes our new mindset and our mindset can become our worldview. This has a significant hand in how we interpret the moments we experience…ascribing joy, pain, hurt, excitement, or any other emotional valence to our life.

So, what do you say? Maybe the next change that rolls into your life will be the one that you will approach with greater acceptance. Now, that is a change to look forward to!