If You’re Anxious About Change, Try A New Path
Autumn is the season that inspires me to think about change. It is a season where we are sad to say “good-bye” to summer and are somewhat anxious about the coming winter weather. But, it is also a season of glorious colour, fresh crisp air, fall fairs and Thanksgiving. We face many changes throughout our lives. Often change makes us feel uneasy about the unknown, but it also brings an excitement of new possibilities.
Change can be a conscious decision we make or change can be forced upon us. Whatever the change, we do know that change is unavoidable and that it is going to happen to each and every one of us.
Some people are more willing to accept change and get on with their lives, while others are not. But there are some things that we can do to lessen the stress of change and help us view change as positive and healthy.
- Adopt an attitude of welcoming change by challenging yourself on a regular basis to take risks. A risk may be just a small thing like taking an evening course – something that brings a little newness in your life.
- Remember that you cannot always control change, but are in charge of how you react to change. My family always liked to quote Zig Ziglar’s “It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce.” Focus on the bounce.
- When making decisions that lead to change, remember there are no wrong decisions, just decisions. Deepak Chopra said, “There is no right or wrong, only a series of possibilities that shift with each thought, feeling and action that you experience.”
- Take care of yourself. During times of change, there are a number of things that you can do to make yourself feel better:
- Eat well.
- Exercise regularly.
- Surround yourself with positive people that empower you and present different options.
- Manage your time so that you get things done that you have to do, but also include time for yourself.
- Learn to say “no” to some things so that you can find balance in what you do.
- Set goals for yourself. Feeling that you’ve accomplished something can make you feel wonderful. Even if the goal is simply to clean out the closet, you develop a sense of productivity. Don’t’ just wander aimlessly through life allowing things to happen to you. Setting your own goals puts you in charge.
As Walt Disney once said, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” Our world is constantly changing and there is nothing that can be done to change that. But how we accept and respond to change is within our control. We can deny that change happens and fight it every step of the way. Or we can face change, approach it with a positive attitude and make the most of the changes in our lives.
