Do You Fear Change…?

I was chatting on the phone to a friend the other night, having one of those conversations that close friends do – sharing stories, listening and supporting one another through whatever it is we were going through, when something he said disturbed, or should I say triggered an emotion in me.   The conversation had turned towards a mutual friend and the emotional challenges they had been going through recently.  My friend commented that “making change is hard”, as the reason why our friend had been struggling to overcome his ‘demons’ so to speak and shift the direction of his life for the better.  I sensed the emotion these words stirred in me, as I felt frustrated over what I viewed as a self defeating and limiting belief.   I responded with – “what’s harder is not making change “.

I view the discomfort we can feel around the mere prospect of change, let alone making it, as temporary, usually only lasting to the point of actually taking those first steps out of our comfort zone.   After that, the fear, pain or unease we may feel will usually start to dissipate and be replaced with comfort and contentment  – providing it’s the kind of change that enriches our life and inner happiness.

When I was ill with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Lupus in my early twenties, I reached a point where I had made many of the necessary dietary and lifestyle changes to aid in my recovery, yet something was keeping me from fully healing.   Then one day my I was struck by my ‘light bulb’ moment  and realized the only thing holding me back from going to the next level with my health and happiness, was my resistance to change – in my case – changing my thinking towards myself.   So when I opened my mind up to this prospect, my health was able to fully recover.

But the road to getting what we want in life through making change, isn’t always direct, nor immediate.  Sometimes we can think we’re making a change for the better, when really we’re simply replacing it with just another version of the same thing.  This can be typical of addictive personalities.   I see so many people merely swapping their addiction for unhealthy habits, for healthier ones (which is great don’t get me wrong!), but their unhealthy mindset towards themselves remains unaddressed, leaving them unable to fully achieve the changes in themselves and their health that they desire.   Thankfully, life has a clever way of letting us know whether we’re on the right  track or not, by sending us the same lesson again and again, until it is learned.

So if you’re thinking it’s just “too hard” to break away from the things, (whether it’s alcohol, coffee, sugar , drugs or even a bad relationship or job), or cycles that are keeping you from being truely content in yourself and achieving what you want in life, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself what’s harder… being where you are right now in your life and your current relationship with yourself?   Or making the changes you need, in order to be truely healthy and happy?   I guarantee it’s easier than you think and the reward when you do will make you wonder what took you so long, and why you didn’t make it sooner.

Remember…. change is easy, being stuck is hard.

What do you feel is the hardest thing about making change?

If you’re keen to start making changes with your health and happiness, the best place to start is with your diet. Find out how in my book Love Your Gut

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© All Rights Reserved Sally Joseph 2014

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