Change: the one constant in our lives

I am big believer that we need to repeat lessons in life.  Change is one I continually struggle with in my own life and I figured other people do too.  

Recently I moved my office--which is a good thing.  I am closer to my home, it has more space and my own waiting room.  All and all a good change.  It is something I have wanted to do for awhile now and am very excited that it has finally happen.  However as I moved my furniture in and busied myself with decorating and arranging I couldn't help but notice my anxiety level was increasing. On moving day I turned to a friend of mine who helped me move and just said 'ok I am going to cry for no reason now' and he looked at me and said 'go ahead, change is hard and this is a big change'.  First I thought 'thank God for such supportive friends' and then I thought 'change is hard yet it is the one thing that is consistent in our lives''.

As humans we resist change--yes there are those who live on the edge and love mixing things up--but for the majority of us change is hard.  Moving, having kids, starting a relationship or a job, ending a relationship or job, getting a dog (something else I recently did) all add change to our lives.  And with that change comes resistance and stress.  

Even the good changes cause us to have an increase in anxiety.  But as I stood on my back porch crying I thought--is it really the change and 'the stress' that comes with a new office or is it my resistance to the change and the resulting stress that is the problem.  Maybe if I embraced the change--admitted that change is hard--and moved forward with it I wouldn't get to the point where I needed the tears.  I would just give myself permission to feel the stress of the change as I went along instead of constantly telling myself 'this is a good thing, you SHOULD be HAPPY', 'stop stressing you are being silly'.  Instead I would have some intentionality around what I tell myself I would say 'change is hard, you want to move and moving is good AND moving is hard', 'you like your routine and you are establishing a new one--good for you!!'

As with many lessons it comes down to self talk--the messages I send myself have become more loving as I make this transition--and because of that the transition has become much more enjoyable!!

Here's to change--the one constant in our lives!!!