Change is one aspect of life that is ever present. It can never be stopped once it begins to roll. It is something everyone must experience in his lifetime. But then, people are afraid of change. In fact, it is always resisted. Many people do whatever they can to prevent change from taking place. But their efforts are futile because change can be delayed but never stopped.
It is actually natural for humans to resist change. Scientists have discovered that a part of the human brain, known as amygdala, interprets changes as threats. Hence, when there is any attempt to bring changes, the human body sees that as dangerous and hence releases hormones that fight, oppose, or run away from it. So, when you see yourself being uncomfortable because something new is about to be introduced, try to understand that it is your body doing its job to protect you from harm.
There are different excuses your body and mind will give to push you into resisting change. For instance, they will make you believe that you can’t fit in if the change happens. You might also notice that you are afraid that things will turn worse if they change. How about fear of the unknown? Here, you are more comfortable with the devil you know than the angel you know not. Some people also resist change because they felt they lack the competency required to manage it and so will become redundant if it happens. There are so many other ways this could happen but always remember that they are natural and so should not discourage you.
Change, as scary as it seems, is very important. A child cannot grow if he doesn’t change in his physical as well as mental features. Hence, a person cannot grow or see reasons to grow if change does not happen. New things are discovered and made because changes are demanded for them. Change makes life more exciting because it breaks the monotony humans would have been plunged into in the name of conservatism. Indeed, change has brought about growth and development in humans and the society at large.
This brings up the question of how one can embrace change despite how threatening it might seem. To help yourself to embrace change, you need to do the following:
- Accept that you need change: This is the most difficult part of embracing change. If you don’t believe that it is time for things to change, you will find it difficult to accept anything new. One of the tricks for achieving this feat is to objectively evaluate the current situation of things around you. Ask yourself how satisfied you are with your current position. If you are satisfied and comfortable with what you have and are, then it is impossible for you not to fight change. But if you are unsatisfied with what is happening around you or with your current position, know it that you are one step ahead of seeking and accepting change.
- Visualise positive effects of the change: Not all changes are good but you can’t tell if a change is good or not until it happens. Hence, after accepting that you need to make some changes or that there is a need for things to change, you have to visualise a brighter future with that change. You need to dream of that future and believe it will happen. Once you have any atom of doubt about it, you are most likely going to resist it when it comes.
- Make effort to actualise the change: This is where you take necessary steps towards welcoming and/or actualising the change. You have to prepare yourself for the future. To do this, get yourself equipped with information and acquire necessary skills that will be required to adapt to the new environment. This way, you won’t feel threatened when things finally change.
As mentioned earlier, change is a constant thing, which can never be stopped. If change decides to happen, nothing can stand in its way. It can be delayed quite alright, but it will definitely find its way around obstacles. Hence, instead of fighting change, embrace it and make it work for you. However, you should use your discretion when embracing change because some of them affect people negatively.
