A few weeks ago, I read and wrote about “Who Moved My Cheese” by Spencer Johnson. It was a fun read with a lot of insight into human reaction. When you watch a friend around you react to a change in their work, do they usually view it as good or bad? Most of the time, when there is a change at work, people will view it as bad. This is because they feel the change is not necessary and could make them have to work harder without being increased in pay. Sometimes however, they view it as a positive change but there are so many people at their workplace saying it is a bad thing. They do not want to stand out and look different, so they act like it is a negative thing. With enough negative thought, such as this, it can turn the individual who may have thought the change was good, to now despising it because their peers have pressured them into feeling that way.
In these situations, we should take a step back. Look at the change, whether it be at work or in life with an open mind. There are many methods to do so but one simple technique is weighing the pros and cons (the Jim Halpert way). Start writing a list of everything you believe will be good and could potentially be not so good, with the change occurring in your life. You may find out, the change is better than you thought, you may realize, you are looking forward to the change.
Sam and I utilize this technique often, we have quite a bit of change in our life, mostly due to me, and we utilize pros and cons to see if the changes we are making are worth it. This is good for multiple reasons, first, you can physically see your list to see if the change is going to be positive or negative. You can work through your concerns and see how you feel emotionally writing them down. You can lay out the worst case scenario with the change, which typically is not the end of the world. Your worst case scenario in most cases, is not too bad. Most things you do in life, you can rebound from pretty quick and easily. On the opposite spectrum, you also get to see and feel the emotions of potential positive outcomes from the change. This is the fun part and why change is so powerful and crucial!
When you change, you grow and learn. It may be a positive experience or it may be a negative experience. Either way, you learn something new and you develop your skills of changing. By consistently changing as change presents itself, you are becoming smarter and stronger. Then change will not be as scary as it once was, you may start looking forward to it. In this stage, you are open to a new world. You can do things you always wanted to try because you are used to change and being uncomfortable. You can try new things with friends or acquaintances for the fun of it. You can truly live your one life you have been given.
Change is going to make you a stronger person. You will be evolving your self, every time you change. It may not be by a lot but you will be strengthening yourself mentally. This can translate into all aspects of your life. If you are a stronger person mentally by consistently challenging yourself and not being afraid of change, you will build habits to better help you through other situations you may encounter.
My caveat to change. If you are currently doing something and its going very well, do not change just for the sake of change. If you are in a career you are thriving in and like, do not change careers, just to change careers. If you are training for something but it is getting tough and you are thinking of a change to get out of the hard work. Be careful to make a change that could take away from personal growth, in order to take the easy way out. Change is meant to help you grow and not be afraid of what could come next. So, do not use change as a cop-out, use change as a positive influence in your life.
Not being afraid of change, will open a lot of new opportunities for individuals, if they are keeping their eyes open and are willing to change.
Sam and my newest change in our life, is minimalizing our lifestyle and getting rid of things we do not need. It is fun but challenging. I believe it will be well worth it.
Your life Tutor
-Shaun Tutor
Tutors of Life 