Change is a natural part of life. And yet, most of us fear change, to one degree or another.
It’s the discomfort we often associate with change that freaks us out. And what is that discomfort exactly?
It may be a little different for everyone, but in general, that discomfort shows up as nervousness, anxiety, a feeling of being “on edge,” irritability, insecurity, and/or in the body as muscle tension, a tight throat or a knot in the stomach.
The bigger the change, the more intense these effects can be. It’s no wonder we often fear or dread change. It’s human nature to instinctively do what we can to avoid discomfort or pain.
But…it doesn’t have to be this way. By initiating small changes in a fun, light-hearted way, you re-train your brain and body to react differently to change.
Muster up your sense of adventure and creativity and play with making it a habit to initiate small changes.
- Do you always take the same route to work, or to the grocery store or to pick the kids up from school? Take a new route. Explore an unfamiliar neighborhood or store.
- Have you been sitting staring at the same blank wall in front of your desk in your home office? Re-arrange the furniture so you can gaze out the window.
- Do you always have spaghetti on Sunday and meatloaf on Monday? Do you always order take-out from the same Thai restaurant? Give a new recipe or restaurant a try.
- Have you been secretly longing to learn how to dance? Or surf? Or paint? Or cook? Go for it. Take that class.
When you get too set in your ways, too habituated to your routines, too comfy in your comfort zone, you start tuning out and operating on auto-pilot. (Have you ever driven home only to realize you don’t really remember much of the drive?)
Consciously choosing to do new things will wake you up.
Because they’re not familiar, you’ll naturally be more focused and present with the new activities.
Being more present will open your eyes and your mind to even more new things and new possibilities. It will stimulate your creativity and spark personal growth.
Doing new things, or simply doing things in a different way, creates new neural pathways in the brain, and over time, de-sensitizes you to the fear of change. It allows you to practice mustering up the courage to do even bigger, bolder new things, and you’ll find you’re better able to roll with and handle the bigger changes we all experience from time to time.
Regularly initiating small changes with a sense of play allows you to transform your experience of change from one of dread and discomfort to one of anticipation, adventure, excitement, and fun.
When was the last time you did something new? Or did something you’ve done a thousand times, but in a new way? I’d love to hear what you think.
Share your thoughts and suggestions for initiating small changes, in the comments section below.
Hi Lisa,
I love this! Funnily enough I intuitively crave changes, especially in my working environment. As a home-based business person I think it’s so important to work in different environments – it works wonders for your creativity levels and (for me) prevents boredom. I’ve always said, the only thing you can count on in life is CHANGE. Might as well embrace it!
Twitter: lifechangenet
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Hi Marlee,
That’s great that you’ve created your career in such a way that works with your personality and craving change!
Twitter: TheWilderZone
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Love your attitude toward change, Marlee. And you make a great point…working in different environments can encourage new insights and creativity to bubble up and it can be a great way to get unstuck.
Twitter: deanaryan
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I know what you mean, Marlee, a change of scenery can do wonders for the creativity. I’ve always thought that I’ve come up with some of my best ideas and done some of my better writing while traveling and staying in hotels. There’s just something about a different place that seems to open up new lines of thinking and problem solving. So glad you brought up this great point!
Twitter: managemoneytips
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Great post. All great ideas! And I love that you bring the idea of play and fun into the activity of change. This Christmas I put some decorations in different places and I couldn’t believe how upset some of my family got! They justified it by saying it was tradition……hmmmm I obviously need to work on changing their perspectives.
Twitter: deanaryan
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Isn’t it amazing how we can justify trying to keep things the same? Traditions, it’s always been done that way, those are some classics. I’m guessing you’ll be making good use of Lisa’s advice to help them loosen up on some of the traditions next Christmas!
Twitter: TheWilderZone
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Hey Carol…thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. It’s amazing, isn’t it? The things we get attached to and then resist changing.
Having or creating family traditions can be a wonderful way to create special and memorable times of connection and celebration. The key is awareness. It can be helpful, from time to time to ask yourself…Did you consciously choose a particular holiday tradition or are you simply still doing it the same way every year because that’s how it’s always been done?
Change really can be fun and exciting, it’s all about our perspective. Speaking of which, Carol, while it’s tempting to want to change others’ perspectives…the only one we really have the ability to change is our own. But you can certainly find fun, creative ways to encourage your family to come along for the ride.
Twitter: KimberlyRiggins
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These are great suggestions! Loved them.
When I am feeling stagnant, I know I need a change.
Usually how I handle that is I jump headfirst into a new project, a new program or I take a new class. (I am not necessarily talking about business.)
Last year I learned how to pole dance, went on ME dates to the movies, a yoga wine tasting, incorporated OMing, and made some major shifts in my brand, amongst other things.
This year, I think I want to learn a new language, take salsa lessons, and book a weekend at a spa just for myself.
To change,
Kimberly
Twitter: TheWilderZone
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Oooo…Kimberly…can I tag along for that weekend at the spa?!
I love how whole-heartedly you embrace, and more importantly, initiate, change for yourself. You’ve found some really fun, unique things to explore. I’m still trying to envision just what a yoga wine tasting might be like. lol… I might have to add that to my list of things to try this year.
And I’m curious…how has initiating those changes, and exploring those new experiences, affected you and your life/biz? I’d love to hear more…
Twitter: KimberlyRiggins
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Oh yes. You can definitely tag along. There is a beautiful one in the mountains about an hour or so from my house I have been dreaming of going to for years. THIS is the YEAR!
As for the yoga wine tasting…picture an amazing, relaxing hour long yoga class done right next to the vines overlooking an old stone house and miles and miles of beautiful vines. Then as you awaken from shavasana, you get to turn around, sit under a glorious overhang overlooking the vines again, indulging in cheese and chocolate tasting 10 different delectable wines. It was truly a highlight for me this year. And I went by myself, met some amazing couples and felt on top of the world.
Well, it has added pizazz to my life personally. Once I realized that I create my own happiness, it was much easier to step outside my comfort zone and try new things. I don’t ever want to regret not doing something because I am waiting for someone to join me or because I am scared. Professionally, I really feel like these experiences have helped me mold my brand. I would have never taught a class on releasing your inner vixen without those types of experiences because w/o them, I wouldn’t have a clue what it felt like to live from a place of pleasure.
xo
Kimberly
Twitter: TheWilderZone
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The spa sounds amazing, Kimberly. And your description of the yoga wine tasting sounds absolutely divine. Wow…
That you’re not only initiating these changes and new experiences, but that you’re not waiting for someone to join you or letting fear stop you, is really inspiring.
Thanks so much for popping back over here to share more about how doing so has impacted you and your life/biz. Knowing the really positive effects others are seeing can go a long way toward helping others to minimize their own fear and hesitation.
Twitter: lifechangenet
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Hi Kimberly,
I think your point about not wanting to regret things is a great one to keep in mind. Most often we regret the things we don’t do versus the ones we actually do. Better to go for it and learn and grow versus holding back, limiting our comfort zone.
Twitter: KimberlyRiggins
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I agree John 100%. The time we spare to think about our regrets could have been used for new, fun, enlightening experiences.
I also think it’s important to remind everyone that going for it, putting yourself out there, dancing on the edge of your comfort zone is essential to personal growth. Taking risks, pushing yourself in uncomfortable ways may not always work out as you imagined but the doors that open because of your willingness to grow is profound.
Twitter: TheWilderZone
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Hey Kimberly & John…I’m loving where you two have taken this discussion.
Being willing, as Kimberly so eloquently stated, to “dance on the edge of your comfort zone” and to even step outside it is not only key to personal growth, but it’s where your life and your dreams come fully, vibrantly, alive.
Hanging out in our comfort zones may protect us from feeling fear but it also limits our passion, excitement and joy.
And when we dare to not only dream, but to go after our dreams…the most amazing synchronicities and possibilities occur.
One of my all-time favorite quotes says it much better than I ever could:
Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and endless plans.
That the moment one definitely commits oneself then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never have otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
Begin it now.
~W.H. Murray
Twitter: lifechangenet
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Hi Kimberly, that sounds like a lot of fun. And wine might be the missing ingredient for Yoga. I think it would at least help with flexibility!
Twitter: KimberlyRiggins
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Oh John, I had a ball! Literally! I am not sure it would help you with your flexibility but it sure would help you not really sweat it!
Twitter: MelodyGranger
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Hi Lisa,
Great suggestions! I am a huge re-arranger of things in my home because it keeps things from getting stagnant. I find that shaking things up for children is especially important for them – for all the reasons you mentioned. One thing I do with my children is to have them switch sleeping arrangements. They swap beds every 3 to 6 months! As a matter of fact, I recommend that everyone in the house swap bedrooms every once in a while
My husband doesn’t like that idea, but my girls LOVE it.
I’ll be trying some of the new things you recommended. They sound fun!
Twitter: TheWilderZone
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Hey Melody,
Wow…the bed swapping idea is creative. Maybe that’s what I should have done with my boys when they were much younger. I’ll never forget when Justin was about 8 yrs. old we bought him a new mattress set and he was so attached to the old bed and so freaked out about change that he cried and begged me to let him keep the old bed, and then insisted on at least keeping the mattress tag. lol…you know…the one they warn you not to remove? Yeah…that one.
Love it that you’re teaching your girls at a young age that change can be fun and exciting.
Twitter: lifechangenet
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I agree. I think the bed swapping idea is a great way to change things up. Think about how in school, we often get attached to “our” seats even if there isn’t assigned seating. Heaven forbid someone new comes in and sits in “our” seat. Great tips.
Twitter: MelodyGranger
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Lisa, the girls do keep their same comforters when switching beds! I chose a different menu option today, instead of my usual Salmon Almondine. (I did miss the Salmon, rice, grilled veggies, but the Lump Crab Meat Cake was delish! And the same wonderful salad came with the new meal I tried. YUM!)
John, that is soooo true! My girls have their own “seats” in the car! I may make ‘em switch that up this week! (I feel like I’m experimenting with my children.)
Twitter: lifechangenet
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Hi Melody, I suspect that you are raising kids who are quite flexible and willling to adapt. That is a great trait to develop!
Twitter: TheWilderZone
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Ooo…Melody…love that you’re not only encouraging your girls to have fun mixing it up, but that you’re making a conscious choice to try new things too. It’s so easy to fall into habits that we don’t even realize we’ve fallen into…like ordering the same thing at the same restaurant every time we go out to eat.
Several years ago I made a conscious choice to try new foods that I wouldn’t ordinarily eat. Actually, it wasn’t even just foods that I wouldn’t ordinarily eat…it was foods I wouldn’t normally have even considered eating – oysters, rocky mountain oysters, sushi, tripe, pork brains (yes…pork brains. Believe it or not…it was on the breakfast menu in a little cafe in a tiny little town in NC).
Now mind you…that one bite of pork brains was enough to last a lifetime. To say that I didn’t care for it would be an epic understatement, but I’m glad that I tried it.
And lo and behold…I never thought I’d care for sushi but discovered that I really enjoy a lot of it.
It can be really fun to push the boundaries of what we’re comfortable with…and to explore all kinds of new things.