Change. The word itself elicits fear, resistance, doubt.
But we know change can be for the better, that is usually reversible and often impermanent, and yet we still fear it. Why?
Many of us are creatures of habit, routine, regularity. Wake up at 6, let the dogs out and feed them, shower, prepare breakfast, off to work. We break for lunch at noon, are back to the desk by 12:30, leave the office on a good day by 6, get to the gym by 7, arrive back home by 8:15. Eat, sleep, shower, repeat.
If you’re a parent, tack on waking the kids, getting breakfast and lunch ready, making sure homework is complete, checking that there are clean clothes to wear, etc. Sports, extracurriculars, childcare, and transportation must be considered, too.
Although these examples may seem overwhelming, they can actually be positive examples of routine. They represent a refined system of coordinated actions that result in a desired outcome.
But what happens when the system is broken; when the actions taking place do not achieve their intention? Do we continue to plow forward through the tumultuous storm and hope it eases up, or do we trade in our front wheel drive sedan for an all wheel drive wagon or suv?
If you are stuck in a loop and feel like you can’t get out, look to change. If you need to get more sleep, help boost your kids’ grades, lose weight, have a better connection with your loved ones or the world that surrounds you, seek change. If it just isn’t working, change.
If all you have to fear is fear itself, then realize that your hesitation is part of an onboard system that may be faulty. Like the beta-version of pac-man that didn’t loop you around the board and instead let you fall into oblivion, our software may just need some updating.
Change is not all encompassing; it happens over time, is progressive, and it never ends. The key is having a little stick-to-itiveness, keeping an open mind as things unravel, and going with the flow until the new path forward begins to provide greater clarity.
Start with something simple, attainable, almost easy. You’ve got nothing to lose and so much to gain.
