Navigating the twists and turns of life requires changes - changes in where you live, new relationships, life-stage transitions, changes in behavior, changes in attitude and many other modifications that typically bring some level of stress. How many times have you found yourself dreading any change - whether major or minute - because the uncertainty ahead was nearly too much to bear?
And how many times have you gone forward despite that uncertainty and realized your dread was worse than the actual change? Realizing that change is often necessary, and totally manageable, is the key to overcoming the fear of it.
One trick to overcoming this fear is to practice breaking out of your standard routine. The more routines you have in your life, the harder it is to embrace life-enhancing changes. Routine can be good, but it can also be energy-zapping and provide a false sense that the norm is what's best. This may not be the case. Even athletes know it's best to mix up their routine if that want to get stronger because otherwise your muscles begin to get lazy. Change will actually help you grow, as it often does in your emotional life as well.
Step 1 - Acknowledge the change. Recognizing and accepting change will be the first steps toward managing it. Then, make a conscious effort. It sounds simple, but one of the of the big reasons we don’t make change is because we don’t try. And we don’t try because then it’s easy to make excuses for why we don’t get what we want. Face reality and be honest with yourself.
Here are some ideas to help keep the fear of change at bay by limiting the routines you perform in life. Use them to stimulate your own ideas:
Take it slow by making small adjustments to make life less of a routine and to slowly get the mind to accept changes when they come. It’s so important to demonstrate to the subconscious that you are in control and that you will not let fear of change control you.
The bottom line is, change isn’t going anywhere—so you’ll need to learn how to overcome your fear of it. Change is life, so embrace it, and grow.
And how many times have you gone forward despite that uncertainty and realized your dread was worse than the actual change? Realizing that change is often necessary, and totally manageable, is the key to overcoming the fear of it.
One trick to overcoming this fear is to practice breaking out of your standard routine. The more routines you have in your life, the harder it is to embrace life-enhancing changes. Routine can be good, but it can also be energy-zapping and provide a false sense that the norm is what's best. This may not be the case. Even athletes know it's best to mix up their routine if that want to get stronger because otherwise your muscles begin to get lazy. Change will actually help you grow, as it often does in your emotional life as well.
Step 1 - Acknowledge the change. Recognizing and accepting change will be the first steps toward managing it. Then, make a conscious effort. It sounds simple, but one of the of the big reasons we don’t make change is because we don’t try. And we don’t try because then it’s easy to make excuses for why we don’t get what we want. Face reality and be honest with yourself.
Here are some ideas to help keep the fear of change at bay by limiting the routines you perform in life. Use them to stimulate your own ideas:
- Eat lunch at different times each day, and where you eat lunch. Can you vary the routes you take to and from the workplace?
- Try a different cuisine every week. It's fun, and tasty!
- Visit somewhere new every month. This could be a new restaurant, museum, theatre, park, country, whatever!
- Break the TV routine - do something new at least a few nights a week. Read a book, take a class, go to the gym, work on something artistic, anything!
Take it slow by making small adjustments to make life less of a routine and to slowly get the mind to accept changes when they come. It’s so important to demonstrate to the subconscious that you are in control and that you will not let fear of change control you.
The bottom line is, change isn’t going anywhere—so you’ll need to learn how to overcome your fear of it. Change is life, so embrace it, and grow.
