You know that life is change, but do you also realize that change is life? Instead of fighting change, learn to embrace it. You’ll be happier and more content.
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality.” – Lao Tzu.
Life Is Change and Change Is Life: How to Embrace It
The concept that life is change is familiar. But that doesn’t always make it easy to accept changes that occur. These tips may help you expand your horizons and embrace change.
How to Cope with Change
Do you fight against change? Most of us have at one point or another. It could be that you’re unprepared to deal with what’s happening, or it reminds you of past failures. Or you like the status quo and want to hang onto it. You could also be lazy, preferring to go along with the least amount of effort.
However, that’s not the way to live if you want to enjoy a robust and rewarding life filled with success, happiness, and love.
Resistance Is Easier
Granted, to do nothing or to put up resistance to change might seem the easier route. After all, it’s not putting yourself out there and being vulnerable. You can glide along on smooth water.
No Risk, No Reward
It’s also not exposing yourself to opportunities and taking reasonable risks to achieve greater rewards.
Who’d want to live in a bubble, forever walled off from the world? In such a protected state, there’s no chaos or changing seasons, no emotional highs and lows, no extremes of any kind. How boring.
Gradual Vs. Sudden Change
In business and life, some changes are gradual, and others are sudden. Both have benefits and disadvantages and which to choose often depends on carefully analyzing the situation and your options.
“Be the change you want to see.” – Mahatma Gandhi.
Gradual Change
Gradual change is less risky and easier to implement. Furthermore, it can build momentum personally or in organizations and society. However, gradual changes often take longer to show results, may not result in significant adjustments, and still face resistance.
Sudden Change
On the other hand, sudden change often provokes great resistance, as it is highly disruptive, high-risk, and can cause chaos. Both of these can negatively affect people and their livelihoods. The flipside of sudden change is that results are quicker, it can promote further innovation, and there’s a fresh start.
Here’s a simple example of each. You can change your mind, which often is sudden. Yet, changing your behavior tends to be gradual. However, the opposite can also be true. You can take a long time to change your mind, then suddenly change your behavior.
How to Embrace Life Is Change
On the other hand, there is hope in accepting that life is change. The real world is messy and constantly changing. Indeed, life itself is change. Thus, change is life.
Get used to it.
Instead, embrace and accept change.
“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” – John C. Maxwell.
- Instead of endlessly avoiding change, look for ways to capitalize on it. Sure, some changes are distasteful, nasty, and challenging. However, the other side is pleasant, rewarding, and enriching.
- You can get through all kinds of change with equanimity. Be the one who chooses how to act, not forever chained by outside change.
Life is change. Change is life, and thankfully so. It creates enormous possibilities. Embrace change in your life.
