Change is hard.
Most people do almost anything they can, subconsciously even, to avoid change. It’s why we buy the same butter that our parents did growing up, or why we will stay in a job we hate for years and years. Our bodies like routine. Routines give us structure and consistency in an otherwise chaotic and scary world.
The last three plus years of my life have been an insane flux of constant change. I had periods of consistency, 2009 for example was fairly stable. But other then that….wham, pow, change, change, change.
But, one thing I’ve learned, is that change can be good. Great even.
It was a change for me to stop day trading. I had been trading stocks and forex since I was 18 at various levels of addiction before stopping cold turkey in January of 2007. That was a big change. A good one.
I lived without hot water for months in a home going into foreclosure, before moving into an office building to save money because I was so darn broke. A pretty big change. Not such a good one.
I worked every Friday and Saturday night because I had few friends and my closest pal had gotten a boyfriend (we are now getting married : ). That change was very difficult, but brought my business to new heights and showed me the power of hard work and a little chip in the shoulder. Good change.
And now I’ve moved in with my mother, am engaged, have slimmed down my business to just a few part-time employees, and have lost all structure I had in 2009. And it’s all gonna change again when I get hitched. Good change.
How have I handled all this change? Sometimes well. Sometimes not.
My tips:
Go to the gym. Or go for a run. Nothing will clear your head and put things in perspective better then a good, even puke inducing workout.
Go to church. And if that isn’t your thing, go for a hike or a long walk, not too strenuous so you hit the puke level, but something where you can think and meditate for at least an hour.
Talk with you family. I, without a doubt, wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for my family. While I never asked them for money the last three years, the amount of other support they’ve given me goes beyond the call of duty. No one else will be there for you during difficult change like your family can be. Just make sure you ask for their help. Yes, that can be hard.
Start a blog. Or write a journal. If you’re like me, you may find that you can process your thoughts and feelings much better in written form. You don’t have to even show anyone, just start typing or writing, set aside 30 minutes, and see what comes out. This entire blog is pretty much that for me : )
Work smarter. Not just harder, but find something productive that you can feel good giving extra attention too. When lots of change is happening, having a project you can complete and control and contribute too feels fantastic.
What do you do to handle change?
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