The other day, I heard an “expert” on the television say, people will do anything they possibly can to avoid change. Even though I was preoccupied with whatever-it-was I had been doing, that jumped out at me and I started listening to that yammering in the background. This person was suggesting that people will go to extreme lengths (which makes it okay?). I had to wonder, do most people really have such focus and drive to avoid change at all costs? Boy, I hope not!
Change is Unavoidable
Even though it is insanely obvious, it seems necessary to state—change is unavoidable. Nothing lasts forever. Good or bad, average or extraordinary, a season or an era—it doesn’t matter what it is, it will change eventually.
Facing Change
Now that we can agree change will happen, here’s my question—do you want to fight it or face it? In my opinion, simply “fighting change” is setting up a losing battle for yourself. You can’t stop change. You can’t freeze time. But, what you can do is manage change. You can face it, accept that it will happen, and then do what you can to obtain the best possible outcomes going forward. This doesn’t mean that you have to be happy or optimistic—but you should be realistic.
Embracing Change?
This, I must admit, can be tough, and it won’t be possible in all situations. You will not be able to embrace devasting changes, events that rattle you to the core, circumstances that haunt you and that you always will wish could be different. But, there will be many changes that, after the dust settles, produce a new equilibrium which may not be as bad as it looked at the top of the downward spiral. For these changes, we just need to figure out what we can do with what we have (or what is left), and then we can start moving forward again.