"Change in all things is sweet." (Aristotle)
I love change. I know most people are anxious, if not downright scared, of change, but I thrive on it. In fact, if things stay the same in my life for too long, I often get bored and look to change something, anything. Which is ironic because I'm a Taurus, and we're supposed to be creatures of habit, people who like the same-old-same-old. I guess I'm not a typical Taurean because for me, too much "same old" is like slow torture.
To some, change is about endings, and this is what scares them about the prospects of something changing. When change occurs, these people focus on what they believe is being lost or left behind, instead of on what wonderful things might be around the corner. Even something that at first seems to be a change for the worse--such as losing a job--can turn out to be the best thing that ever happened. It's all in how you choose to look at it.
"The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it." (Marcus Aurelius)
To me, change represents possibility, new beginnings, hope, freedom, excitement. I moved to Paris in part because I craved these things, and I simply wasn't finding them or creating them where I was. I don't believe in change just for the sake of change, but when you're stuck in a rut, sometimes changing one thing--even a small thing--can start the ball rolling where you can change another thing, and then another, until your life is the way you want it to be.
Change is a fresh, clean slate. If you don't like a circumstance in your life, you can always change it. It's sad that some people think they do NOT have choices in life, but they've been misinformed. You always have a choice.
"Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me." (Carol Burnett)
My friend Craig used to say that whenever women get bored, they change their hairstyle; he's not exactly wrong about that! Changing your hair is one of the easiest things to do, and if you don't like it, at least you know it will grow back and you can start over again.
Sometimes, the change can be subtle, like a change in your inner perspective, even if nothing materially changes on the outside. But those kind of inner changes can often have more far-reaching results than a big, flashy outer change.
Change is inevitable in life. Change is going to happen, sooner or later, whether you want it to happen or not. So you can either resist it, or you can embrace it. Resisting change makes it harder to deal with and makes the experience more painful; embracing it makes it possible to flow with it, making it easier and sometimes even enjoyable in ways you might not have anticipated.
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind, and won't change the subject." (Sir Winston Churchill)
The next time you are faced with the prospect of change in your life, and it makes you uncomfortable, ask yourself what you can do to shift your perspective. In other words, you may not like the change that's happening, but you can change how you decide to feel about it.
In my experience, I've observed that the people who seem to be the happiest, the most well-balanced, and the most successful in life are those that seek out and embrace change.
You can be one of them.
