Everything that breathes experiences life and with life comes change. Change is said to be the only thing permanent in life! Therefore, to try to resist it would be utterly futile. So why resist it? Accept it, move on, and continue to grow!
Plants go through their own set of changes as they grow from a seed to a tree. All animals exhibit their own set of changes, and so do the earth and the universe. It’s the cycle of life.
We as humans are no different. We simply have to deal with a lot of emotional reactions to change, and that’s where resistance often comes from. This is what makes change so difficult for us because we often have a choice and the free will to not move along with it.
Change brings growth and growth can be painful. We do not necessarily think of this when we are introduced to something new, especially if it does not make us happy. Even if the present does not look like the best-case scenario for us, we are still wired to accept it and stick to it rather than seek change.
In some cases, life situations can make us feel a lot of pain. When the pain becomes unbearable, we may initiate changes that we desire. This is exactly what happens when we leave jobs that make us unhappy, or when we leave relationships that become too painful.
When we leave life situations that we don’t see continuing in the long term for various reasons, we don’t often want change, but we seek it anyway in the hope of finding happiness.
All kinds of changes are uncomfortable, whether it is a change that’s initiated amongst ourselves or a change that abruptly happens to us by someone else’s influence in our lives.
Here are a few of the many reasons why change is something that people tend to avoid even if it can be good for them:
Change Makes Us Feel Like We Are Losing Control
Whenever a change is initiated externally by someone or something else, it brings the illusion that we are losing control over our own life. Our capacity for self-determination can feel lost as if we are not given the freedom to choose whether to change or not.
When somebody else has decided on what is going to happen next over some aspects of our life, that can cause a lot of resistance. The first instinct is to hate the change that is being introduced.
Change Causes Too Much Uncertainty
There is a saying, “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” We may think that the familiar is the lesser evil, simply because it is something that we are used to. Many people stay in situations that don’t make them happy or fulfilled simply because it’s easy. It’s familiar. Familiarity makes us feel safe. Plus, the unknown is often too scary to consider or think about. There’s too much uncertainty!
Change Can Disrupt Our Habits and Routines
We thrive on routines and habits that have been ingrained into our subconscious. It is when we take the time to dive deeper into self-reflection that we come to realize how certain aspects of our lives demand change.
People often rely on the belief that ‘if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Yet even if certain aspects of our lives don’t seem broken, they might still be worn out and would benefit from some improvement. Only when we start to change will we begin to experience different results and see a different, albeit better, reality.
Change Upsets Our Comfort Zone
We all like to feel safe, which is what it feels like if we stay in our comfort zones. We are wired to adapt to life situations, but our present is often our source of safety. Change disrupts this sense of security, and throws us out of our comfort zone. It’s not easy, pleasant, or comfortable! It may seem scary, but it could be good for us if we allow it to be.
Change Brings Out Uncomfortable Emotions
We tend to look at change as a monumental event in our lives, bringing in a wave of new realities. What we do not often see is that in essence, change is a psychological experience that brings out new reactions and uncomfortable emotions.
When we stay safe in our comfort zones, it makes us happy as it gives us feelings of certainty, and when something is not known to us, it can incite fear and anxiety. These uncomfortable emotions will naturally make us want to resist and avoid what is new. Plus, when we leave behind an old situation, there can be feelings of loss over the past.
Change is disruptive at the best of times, which is why we resist it. However, if you can see why you hate certain changes in your life, you will have a better chance at controlling it, instead of feeling the change is controlling you.
