My life is going through lots of big changes these days. As a coach, an author, and a public speaker, I am aware that many of the opportunities that I am creating scare the heck out of me. Not only am I developing new relationships, I am growing out of old ones. Every day, I wake up asking myself, “What if it doesn’t work out, after all? What if this new person I am turning into isn’t who I think she is? How will I manage? What if I end up looking foolish, and come back with my tail between my legs?”
For anyone who has ever embarked on a journey of the spirit, reinvented themselves after a loss, moved into a new neighborhood, or in any way found themselves lost in unfamiliar territory, these questions are not uncommon. But, neither is change. Jobs end, circumstances change, people move on, iPods get lost, and we must adapt. And herein lies the miracle. It is not how well we resist change, but how well we adapt to change that not only ensures our survival, but allows us to be joyful in the process. What if, instead of resisting change, we embraced it? What if we were able to view each change as an opportunity for growth, rather than an opportunity for suffering? Competitive athletes actually introduce change on purpose in order to maximize their performance. Businesses do it to create a bigger market, and to increase performance in the work place.
This isn’t to say that change will ever come easily for some people. Seeing the opportunity that change provides is hardly our first reaction when we experience the rug being pulled out from under us. But, there is beauty here, if we allow ourselves to see it. And the first step towards that is acceptance. Accepting that change is occurring, and accepting ourselves in the process is the first step to grace-full and joy-full adaptation. Rarely are we more challenged emotionally, than when we are facing the unknown.