Why is change so hard? Well, because the word “change” takes us away from routine. My mother and father are kings and queens of routine. They have their restaurants, their meals, their lunch time, their workout times, their DVR taped shows, their bedtime and their coffee time. That is some serious routine. When it comes time to make a change from that routine, it kinda gets them in a tizzy or out of sorts.
Think about your situation. You have routines that you have created that provides you a sense of security. The route you take to work, the words on your business card, the company logo you recognize upon entering the building. This very routine may be what is hindering you from exploring the depths of your desires and considering a change.
Why is change so hard then?
1. Change Erases Routine: Erase may be a strong word in this case, yet there is some truth to it. The routine that gives you a sense of emotional stability now must be replaced with new routine or worse yet no routine at all. You once turned left to get to the office and now you turn right. It may seem like a small deal, yet it impacts your sense of familiar and even confidence.
2. Change Means Exposure: Exposed to what? Well, when you start a new career or new job you are vulnerable. The organization you came from may have been able to hide some of your weaknesses. Guess what? They did not go anywhere, they were merely masked. This is ok because you need to face those weaknesses and re-engage your strengths.
3. Change Means Uncertainty: Ekhart Tolle discusses uncertainty by saying (paraphrased) “The extent to which one can handle uncertainty is the extent to which one can become creative and alive” You see change by its very nature pushes us into the realms of uncertainty. It is here, where we experience new levels of anxiety and at the same time we may burst into moments of extended creative thought.
Change is very hard. Change is also exhilarating if we you are able to handle the emotion and embrace some under-leveraged strengths.
People often need someone to walk through change with them and help them familiarize the process. What has helped you during change?