“It’s supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it.”
~
How we experience life is within how we perceive things. We can find opportunity and joy or sit within misery and turmoil. Those choices come from our ability to flow, adapt, and evolve, which requires an openness to change. Yet, when faced with an unfamiliar choice or the safety of what is, we often play it safe, staying with the known factors- we effectively resist change.
We are creatures of habit. Most people love routines and protocols. To change disconnects us from the way it has always been. So those who have been steeped in patterns, and traditions, may become defensive and resistant when modifications happen.
When presented with innovations, many will oppose them, even with the advantages they may bring, because we are hardwired to resist change. Part of the brain interprets change as a threat and releases the hormones stimulating our fight or flight responses. Our body protects us when we resist.
One reason many are resistant is; fear of the unknown. When we stay with what we know, we may yearn for new possibilities, yet new issues accompany them. So avoiding the possibilities avoids the potential problems, limiting us from experiencing something new. By altering how we look at our fear’s constraints, we can shift our perspectives to looking instead at the opportunities it is forming.
Fear is also a way to control or be controlled. Fear of repercussions keeps the group in order when deviating from a pattern.
So why change? Adaptation is imperative to evolve and grow as an individual, society, or species. Life is always in constant motion, and change perpetually happens every second of every day on a subtle level. Once we understand the benefit and usefulness of adaptation, we can alter our mindsets to stop opposing the inevitable and instead embrace the expansion it will bring.
So how do we move through our resistance? First, be open-minded to change, then make the push.
Since nature is in a continual state of change, resisting it is fighting reality. By placing our energy on the evolution of things rather than focusing on keeping them the same, we can adjust our mindset to transformation. Because change will ultimately happen, our resistance to it is futile, wasting precious energy on something that will not come to pass.
We need to have the desire and then consciously make a choice. The very act of pushing through resistance makes us stronger. The more we do it, the more it becomes our behavior. Our mind is our most vital muscle. It can be our best friend or worst enemy – train it well.
Resistance arises during the transition from an ending to an unknown beginning. It may not be the change we resist, but the loss of what we had or knew and moving into a new start. It is normal to feel resistant. Nonetheless, it is productive to overcome it. Acknowledge you feel it, then explore why? We are often reluctant to change because we don’t want to feel out of control. Direct your focus on those things you can manage and maintain, then gradually let go of those you cannot. Slowly, you will discover that change is not bad; it is fun.
We rewire our brains to view choices differently as we shift our perspectives. What may have once felt frightening or anxiety-producing can become exhilarating and amusing. Believing in the unknown possibilities is the upside of accepting change as a part of life. Welcoming the unfamiliar, and embracing the wonder of what the next chapter will be, is the result of learning to push through our resistance to the world of endless potential.
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
~ Rob Siltanen
