Change.
It can paralyze us from moving into necessary and desirable action.
Or we can be rejuvenated by the possibilities to come as a result of it.
Which do you tend to do?

Why do some believe that change inevitably means something worse?
Can it be that change may actually bring something BETTER into your life, if you'll just embrace it and move with it? Which belief do you hold?

Okay, to be honest, I tend to initially fear change and think that it means that things can't be as good as they are now. It's one of those things I have to work on constantly and consciously recognize that I have an issue with change, whether that be within my professional life or my personal life.

At times, being in the comfort zone, the status quo (the existing condition or state of affairs), can seem so much less stressful. Even though the present situation may cause stress, THAT stress seems to be LESS stressful than having to make a move to the unknown, simply because it feels secure and familiar. So is staying in a bad situation 'better' than the fear that comes with not knowing what the future brings. I think often times, the answer is yes.

I know it was for me at one time. I am reminded of when it was necessary for me to make a change in my employment with a company that I had been with for twelve years. I didn't really want to leave my job; I loved the clientele and the staff I worked with. That length of time in one place made for a pretty big comfort zone. I was confident and skilled in my abilities to mentor others. So even as the managerial environment became unbearable, I still questioned whether I needed to make a profound change in my professional career.

I didn't know what lie ahead for me. Would a career change inevitably mean something worse? After all, I had spent twelve years in a specialized behavioral mentoring program. I wasn't looking forward to starting all over in another field. In those early days, I have to admit, I didn’t "Delight in the Possibilities" of what was to come for me.

Do you tend to overanalyze and think the worst, thus stubbornly resisting change? Do you find yourself losing out on great opportunities and think that others have success because they got 'lucky'? Or is it more likely that others see the world as an ever evolving and dynamic one these days? That they expect change, accept change as natural, and quickly adapt to it?

Could it be simply a way of thinking about our DEFINITION of change? Can we alter our belief that change means a gain, rather than a loss? Wow, how powerful would that be! Wouldn't you be eager to, not just wait for change to happen, but actually pursue it if you were confident in thinking that you will have a greater benefit as a result of making the change?

While I was in angst about my career move, those closest to me, both fellow co-workers and family, assured me I would look back one day and not only be extremely pleased that I confronted my fear and left secure employment, but that I would actually regret that I hadn't done it years earlier.

Well, seven years later, I can assuredly give them the satisfaction of saying, "I told you so." I am in total agreement, now, that it was the best decision I ever made. I didn't lose, but rather gained, immensely, by embracing the change instead of being fearful of it. Today, I am living my dream of owning my own successful home business. I am doing exactly what is my passion … mentoring others to success.

I believe that UNEXPECTED change creates the most stress for us. It is hardest when we feel we had no control over the change we are forced to make. It is when we get too locked into, "This is the way it is suppose to be," that we end up feeling, "Why did they do this TO me?" We then fall into the victim mode and begin to blame others for our circumstances.

We tend to be so fearful of change that we keep doing what is comfortable, but eventually find we don't get the results we want. So we work at the SAME things, only doing them harder, faster, and longer. Discouragement, despair, and frustration are common outcomes of this mode of operation. And we absurdly wonder why things don't improve for us, why we don't find the success we crave. So maybe it's time we found a NEW way of doing things, moving us to a new level. Because life moves fast these days, if we don’t adapt and move with it, we'll be left behind, mystified by our lack of accomplishment.

Change can produce anxiety and make us question ourselves and our abilities, simply because it is different from what we are accustom to. It can be challenging to move to new levels of achievement. But if we keep in mind the reward we are after, the fear won't paralyze us and prevent us from making the move.

Sometimes we might think that it would be better to go back to the ways things were, not necessarily because they were better, but because it was familiar and comfortable. This is where faith comes in to play. Our hope and desire for something better will move us past the fear, if we keep in mind what we have to gain, rather than what we have to lose. It was because of my aspirations that I was able to overcome my fear of quitting a full time job in order to begin a home business.

So much of success is a result of what we believe – because our beliefs direct our thinking and our thinking directs are actions or behaviors. I am choosing to believe that change is a good thing, that my life will be enhanced by movement to a new level. I believe that I'll be rewarded when I move past the fear of the unknown and step into my greatness.

You have often heard I am sure, that a failed circumstance may actually be a blessing in disguise. "Always, if we have faith, a door will open for us, not perhaps one that we ourselves would ever have thought of, but one that will ultimately prove good for us." ~~ A.J. Cronin

So I ask you, "What do you need to let go of and what do you need to move onto?
Will YOU embrace the change or fear it?"

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