I write and speak about change often. I know how to tell you how to create change in your own life. Yet, like most people, I struggle with change.
In some areas of my life, I create change often and easily. In other areas, this is not so true. For example, I change many things in my business without much trouble. Just look at all my blogs; each one has gotten a new design in the last year, including this one (just this month). All my logos were changed this past year as well.
I changed my writing schedule. That helped me write the first draft to a book in three months. And I learn new skills all the time to help me change and become better at my job.
Yet, I can’t get myself to change my daily schedule. I’d like to go to bed earlier and get up earlier. I’d like to meditate and exercise every day. (Not happening.) I do one of these things once or twice, and then I fall back into my old habits.
Why are these things so hard, especially when I want to do them and I know they will be good for me? Because I’m just like most people.
In fact, sometimes we are afraid to go to the next level of success in our lives. Sometimes we are afraid that doing something, like meditating, might change us too much for the better. We are afraid of creating positive change and succeeding.
I’m afraid, too…Why? I can tell you at least a few reasons most of us are afraid to change and succeed:
- The people we love might disapprove of who we become.
- The people we love might leave us.
- We might leave behind those we love.
- We might change so much we won’t have anything (or enough) in common with those we love.
- We might discover things about ourselves that we don’t like.
- Others might discover things about us they don’t like.
- Our lives might change in scary ways.
- The new changes might require more, harder changes.
- We might discover we are unhappy or don’t like ourselves (or others) or our jobs.
- We might have to play bigger than we have before.
- We might have to show the world who we are.
- Success will change us.
For each on of those negative reasons to not want to succeed, there is a positive reason to succeed:
- The people we love might approve of who we become.
- The people we love might stay with us.
- We might fall back in love with our partners.
- We might change so much we have more (or enough) in common with those we love.
- We might discover things about ourselves that we like.
- Others might discover things about us they like.
- Our lives might change in exciting ways.
- The new changes might require more, exciting (and easy) changes.
- We might discover we are happy or like ourselves (or others) or our jobs.
- We might have to play bigger than we have before.
- We might have to show the world who we are.
- Success will change us.
I haven’t written much on this blog in the last year because I’ve been focused on other areas of my life. Truth be told, there are lots of reasons why I’ve been focused on other things. (Some of the reasons can be found on that first list.) It’s been easy to focus (consciously or unconsciously) on those other areas of my life and work instead of facing my fears. It’s time to focus on this part of my life and work again—human potential and practical spirituality, but it requires me to change. In fact, it’s all about change.
Change is necessary. Change is part of life. Change is good.
Are you ready and willing to change? Are you ready to see the positive aspects of change rather than just the negative ones? That’s the first step—the first change.
Don’t miss a single post! Subscribe to posts here.
Image credit: brookefuller / 123RF Stock Photo
