Coping with Change
Most of us fear change and have difficulty coping with change. We get comfortable in our daily routines: work, our home, and even our eating habits. There is a certain security in the sameness of our lives. When I was training my lab, the breeder said to me, “Dogs like the same things every day, they do not like change”. We are not much different. So today we are going to discuss doing a week of firsts!
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw of the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover”
-Mark Twain
How many times has someone asked you to do something different and your first answer was “no”. The “no” probably came out before you even gave yourself time for a proper answer. For example, a friend asks you to go kayaking. You think: what will the weather be like, I do not know how to do that, and I won’t have time to clean my house if I go. Sound familiar. This week try to say “Yes” when you ordinarily would say no.
By saying yes more often, you break from routine patterns. Trying to say yes to small changes will prepare you for big changes in your life. And, you will have big changes in your life that is just the way it is.
This week try to do a “first” everyday. Of course, you cannot quit your job, leave your home or escape your responsibilities, but, you can incorporate some small “firsts” this week. Look at some examples below.
“Firsts”
1. Say “yes” to a new experience instead of “no”
2. Try a different method of exercise. If you go to a gym, take a new class.
3. For lunch, try a new restaurant. If you bring your lunch to work, bring a salad instead of a sandwich.
- Reading – if you read fiction, try a non-fiction book.
5. Music – change channels to a different type of music.
6. Take a different route to work.
Now, these are just suggestions, experiment and have fun!