There are many people who resist change. Their focus – that powerful beam of concentrated attention which streams from consciousnesses with laser-like precision – is directed toward all the safe and familiar things they stand to lose, rather than being directed toward all the good things that can begin to take shape once they make a decision to shift course. Even if what is currently “good” is a fraction of what could potentially be, they are reluctant to let go. So, they maintain the status quo. At best, they accept their circumstances and learn to stay attuned to and feel grateful for their blessings.
There is also an element of fear that is related to potential failure and the pain associated with it. People who tend to choose the status quo more readily acknowledge a chance of failure as a real possibility when considering change and want to protect themselves from it. So, they continue to make choices and create situations that are predictable and familiar, even if those same situations are not what they really want. There is a sense of safety in operating within the realm of what’s familiar, even if the familiar is far from ideal. Our comfort zones aren’t always comfortable, but they are predicable, which gives us a sense of control – control over making ourselves vulnerable, open to new hurts. It anchors us to what we know. And we’ve learned to deal with what we know.
Others view change as an exciting opportunity to reimagine their lives – a new beginning, a fresh start. They imagine the possibilities; they have a strong sense of personal agency, and they have faith – they believe in co-creating with the universe their best life scenarios. They don’t think about what they stand to lose, because they believe that all the good parts of their present reality will remain with them as integral pieces of their being… even if the way they relate to these blessings changes shape.
People who welcome and/or are excited about change are in touch with their intuition – they trust themselves to make the choices that are aligned with their values and their vision of the future. They are not oblivious to, or afraid of, potential setbacks; they simply view the setbacks as necessary opportunities for redirection, and they view redirection as an intervention from the universe to change course…which they ultimately believe is for their own (and greater) good.
And then there are people whose attitude toward change is very context dependent. The area of life in which change is to take place and/or the level of personal growth and development at any juncture that calls for a major decision will greatly influence their readiness to shift course.
Regardless of where each of us sees ourselves landing on the spectrum of readiness to make a change – whether we are resistant to it, uneasy about it, receptive or enthusiastic about change…or whether we approach it as an issue that is very context specific – I wish for peace to gently envelop us all.
May we find deep peace with our respective pasts so that we can be fully present to the greatness of now. This sentiment does not suggest that we turn a blind eye to, or turn away from, present challenges and pain…instead, it is an invitation to broaden our focus to include all the good that surrounds us and resides within us despite the difficulties. May we find peace simultaneously within the hardships and among the blessings.
And then, may we find peace looking ahead. Instead of running scrips of worst-case scenarios, let’s imagine what our lives – or certain aspects of our lives – could be. Let’s imagine a future for ourselves that makes our hearts flutter. Let’s imagine this over and over, until those elevated emotions propel us towards making the changes we want to make…effortlessly.
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