To quote Bob Dylan ‘Everything passes, everything changes, just do what you think you should do’.
Change is inevitable. Whether it’s a change of job, house, partner, or direction in life, circumstances rarely stay the same and this is what can lend an interesting look to our lives. That’s not to say that we don’t get freaked out by the idea of change. It can make us downright uncomfortable thinking that tomorrow, things won’t be the same, whether we are content in our current situation of not.
There’s something about change that can throw our comfort zones off kilter. Change can be a reminder that we aren’t always in control and that many of us are creatures of habit, we don’t want to rock the boat or stumble into overwhelm. But for all our resistance, with change comes growth and opportunity. Here are a few short sharp tips for embracing change rather than fighting against it…
Sit in the Discomfort
Being able to sift through and recognize our emotions is a hugely and handy tool when it comes to dealing with all the changes life can throw at us. Often there’s a feeling inside that we can struggle to name and many of us may default to anxiety over the idea of change. Being able to recognize when your lizard brain is wrongly screaming danger and sending your cortisol levels soaring may help you to grab control of the reigns. Try not to shy away from the discomfort you feel around change, but to address it, pull it apart, and then move on. Think of change like getting into cold water – the more you tense up and fight it, the longer the discomfort continues. If you relax and let yourself embrace it, it becomes much easier.
Anchor Yourself
When you make a safe space in your own skin, there’s no change that can blow you off course. Learning to become our own anchors is a hugely empowering practice and one that will continually serve us well. Start by anchoring yourself by ensuring you are well fed and rested and that you are practicing compassionate inner dialogue. Work on your root chakras, do whatever you can to remind yourself that you are a safe space. When we are anchored in ourselves, no matter what change comes our way we are better equipped to take a deep breath and deal.
Seek Positive Feedback
Sometimes we need to look outside of ourselves for a fresh perspective. If you have someone in your life who you know will deliver a much-needed dose of positive feedback during a time of change its time to call them up. This doesn’t mean that you should chat with friends who are dismissive of your fears, but ones who will listen, acknowledge, and then provide a positive spin. If you struggle to get this kind of feedback from those close in your life, you can always turn to the internet – odds are there is someone out there who has been in your position and seeking out positive outcomes can be beautifully reassuring.
Swap Up Your Routine
As mentioned we are all creatures of comfort and sometimes we can become married to our own routines. Then, when change rolls into town it knocks us off our feet. If you want to prep yourself for getting good at embracing change you can start by slowly adjusting to the idea of change in your life. By drip feeding yourself change now, you will be in a much stronger mindset when bigger changes roll in. Whether its swapping up your work routine for a bit, changing the places you walk your dog, or even something as simple as reading nonfiction when you tend to be a pure thriller person, you are helping your mindset to become more malleable and less stuck in the stories we tell ourselves.
How do you handle change? Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments.
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