The mere mention of the word change sends shivers up the spines of those who are resistant to change. Do you know who those people are? They’re everyday, normal people like you or me.
Change is a scary word. I hated it for a long time. Change meant things weren’t going to be the same anymore. It meant friends moving away, people dying, job changes, bands breaking up, comic book series ending, new ways of doing business, and so much more.
Change is a constant in life. We have to get used to change and learn how to overcome our resistance to change. You can’t do this without an intentional outlook on your life.
We’re going to look at ways you and I can fight against our resistance to change. We are going to find ways to become changemakers.
Are you with me or did I scare you away?
Overcoming Your Resistance To Change
Realize change is constant:
The first step to overcoming a resistance to change is to realize change is constant. Nothing stays the same. There’s always some small change happening.
Change can be as small as dust settling on your Apple MacBook Pro to a major change such as the death of a loved one. Change is always happening. You can’t stop it.
Look at the good changes in your life:
You’ve experienced many changes in your life. While you may remember the bad changes the most, you probably have had many more good changes than bad changes.
Some of the good changes you’ve experienced would be:
- Going through puberty (Okay, maybe you didn’t consider good at the time but look at you now!)
- Asking your girl to marry youLanding your first leadership position
- Moving into your first houseSwitching to a church that really preached the Gospel
- Your favorite band improving their musical styleMaking your first hire
- Focus on the good changes you’ve experienced. This reflection on the past will help you realize change isn’t bad. Change is a good thing.
Practice embracing change:
You may fear change because you’re out of practice. You haven’t let yourself fully embrace the changes around you.
I want to encourage you to practice change on a regular basis. It’s something I try to do and this mindful practice has been helpful in my overcoming resistance to change.
Look for small things you can change in your life. Can you drive to work differently this morning? What about chopping the herbs for dinner tonight with your other hand? Choose McDonald’s over Burger King.
You’ll begin to introduce yourself to change and you can learn to embrace the small changes. As you see they’re not so scary, you can begin to embrace bigger change.
Question: What change are you needing to stop resisting today? What would it do for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
