“For transformation, you have to be in touch with your own personal struggles but at the same time able to go beyond them.” – Handbook for the Soul
Why should we change? And why do we resist it?
We, as humans, thrive on daily routines and schedules. It’s in our nature to seek comfort and consistency. So when something interrupts our normal pattern it throws us off and we can struggle to incorporate this new change. We resist what we don’t know because it’s new. Still, we must learn how to conform to this change -whether it’s at home, work, school, or in relationships.
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At its core, change challenges our learning process -how quickly we can adapt. Yet we tend to hold on tightly to what we know and resist change, thus there must be some fear deeply rooted in us. As the saying goes, “The only constant in life is change”, so why do we fear it so strongly?
Perhaps change is truly our greatest fear because of how unknown it is. Will the change bring about a positive or negative outcome? Does it force us to adjust our thoughts and opinions? Will it be beneficial or detrimental? This fear of the unknown outcome is what scares us the most. We would rather choose the path that we know rather than venture into the unknown.
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Yet, we can look at how our society has changed throughout history. Time and again we see resistance to new processes, mindsets, and human rights. No matter the time or place, mankind has resisted change. Still, we continue to persist and slowly enact that change. We can’t control what the whole of society does, but imagine if we take control of the change in our lives -in ourselves.
Growing as an individual is as simple as learning to become a partner with change. We should choose to face our faults and fears as it does not make us weak. Rather it’s the path to internal strength. When we’re open and honest with ourselves about our flaws, insecurities, and shortcomings, it allows us to evaluate our true nature. Thus we can become our best selves.
Only by looking inward can we understand ourselves. Once we understand ourselves, then we can listen to and trust ourselves. And when that happens we become invincible. Because then we know that no one can take away who we really are.