Two Sides Of Change

large red rock formation splitting a river into two sides

2021-03-26

I am uncomfortable with change and have experienced, along with the rest of the world, so much of it in the past year. Change seems to be here to stay in the near (and possibly distant) future. How do I get comfortable with change?

Our Discomfort With Change

It is a hallmark of many modern societies that change is something harmful and should be avoided. Society can lull us into a feeling that we will not encounter significant change. As humans, it is natural for us to want to feel safe. So, we buy into societies that create structures and rules for us to follow. If we follow the rules, as well as the path set out for us, we will be safe from the unknown.

However, change is inevitable and recognizing this allows us to accept and allow that change will indeed occur. Looking back on our lives, we can all see the presence of change and the futility of resisting or denying it. Was society successful in preventing its occurrence? Did our fear, resistance or denial prevent change from occurring? No.

Accepting that change will occur does not necessarily alleviate our discomfort, but is an important first step. We also must cultivate our ability to cope with change at the time it happens. We can do this by learning to be fully present in the moment as change occurs. From there, we can figure out what is best for us to do.

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One Side Of Change

Change can be characterized as loss, upset, removal, transformation and transition. We can no longer hold on to what was. The environment around us fluctuates. We are shaken up within. Things are no longer steady and we are in motion. We may not be sure where we are going or how we will get there. The familiar is gone.

Change can take time and we may find that challenging. There usually is work involved in making it through the change. Change can be unsettling. We are between two worlds, with no definite home. We have to release what was and allow that something will come in its place. We have the opportunity to guide our transformation, but don’t always take it because it confounds us.

This side of change asks a lot. It is challenging, confronting, demands that either we grow or suffer the consequences and asks for self-reliance. At various stages of change, we may not have the support we need. We may have to go it alone, with no roadmap.

The Other Side Of Change

The other side of change is something that not everyone is able to see. Fear and resistance get in the way. We view change as something to be avoided, unless it is self-initiated and we consider it safe. Change in its very nature is not safe. It can be beneficial and exciting though, and that is a reason to open up to the other side of change.

We can shift our perspective to a positive view of change. Within the unknown lies mystery. Mystery holds both adventure and promise within it. There is excitement in what may come. We do not have to assume what is to come will be unwelcome or unsettling. We can remember good things that have come from changes we have experienced and keep ourselves open.

As we focus on this side of change, things can get easier. We are seeing our world as it truly is, not looking back to the past or hiding from the present. We can dream of what is to come. We can grow and strengthen. We can influence what happens during the transition of change because we are steady and can see clearly. Possibility is in front of us.

Embracing Change

The Openings in our lives are invitations to change. Some Openings we have choice in – we can decide whether or not to go through them. Other Openings happen to us. We have no choice but to go forward and release what is now gone. We can embrace these latter types of Openings and find ways to enjoy the ride.

Can we begin to see change as a positive element in our lives? It is very possible we can and is not as hard as it may appear. Change brings us somewhere new. It is stimulating. It offers infinite possibilities. We have a role to play in how we respond to and mold the change that is occurring. Change can refresh and rejuvenate us.

If change is inevitable why not embrace and enjoy it? Yes, that is possible and people do it every day. The key is to turn towards change and what it offers, rather than turn away.

So! I am going to explore this other side of change. I never thought change could be exciting and even fun. There seems no reason why it can’t be. It is all about how I perceive it.

photo: pexels.com