The Importance of Practicing Change

Push your comfort zone. Do something uncomfortable. It’s what every thought leader speaking at the Power of the Road conference advocated, born out through stories from their experience.

small__3673584971No one expects major changes to affect them, but job loss, illness, financial changes, divorce, and death of loved ones affect us all at some point. Even though it’s still traumatic, learning how to deal with change before you have to makes it less shattering and shortens the recovery time.

Practicing change also fosters personal growth and enriches your life. Think about wonderful experiences you’ve had that only happened because you tried something different.

Debbie Evans Leavitt makes change a way of life. She talks about it in terms of cross-training, but also with lifestyle. It prepares her for anything. She also says doing things that are uncomfortable and pushing that comfort zone, is the only way to see what we’re capable of—and that’s when we’re just beginning to come on. The alternative is boredom.

Allan Karl says that too often when confronted with change we tend to look at it with scarcity, rather than abundance. When we look at change as an opportunity, we can see more possibilities. We must practice embracing change and that often means making change routine. Taking a different route to work, moving our furniture around, and going to a different restaurant, grocery store or coffee shop. Simple things. Big impact.

Next time you’re faced with a significant life change, consider the words of C.S. Lewis. “It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.C. S. Lewis

What one thing will you do today to take you outside of your comfort zone?

photo credit: DJ Philly G via photopin cc

 

About

Author, writer, and student Liz Jansen combines her artistic mediums to create stories that inspire readers to embark on their own journey of self-discovery.