Fear of change holds so many of us back.
“It’s better to regret something you have done than regret something you haven’t done.” – Billie Joe Armstrong
Change feels uncomfortable to many people. And when it comes to change, for some people the thought of transition is enough to spark jaw-clenching fear. If you face regular or big changes and feel the white heat of panic start to take hold, you’re not alone. Fear of change is totally normal. When you apply yourself, you can overcome the fear of the unknown and actually embrace it.
Fear in itself is not the problem; the problem is that fear overwhelms the senses. When it comes to dealing with change, research indicates that there are three primary emotions we experience: cynicism, fear, and acceptance. The first two are strongly negative, and the latter is vaguely positive. So resisting change makes things worse — whatever we resist persists.
On the other end of the spectrum, the sense of overwhelm creates panic. You go into overdrive, desperately seeking to get back to your comfort zone.
The good news? Fear is an entirely normal response to change. And there’s even better news: it’s possible to change your mindset so that fear doesn’t take over. Here are a number of ways to help do that….
Accept your fear:
“Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action.” – Walter Anderson
It is easy to ignore or deny our fears, but the most courageous warriors admit to fear and the key is to face it and then work to overcome it. By owning your feelings, you’ve taken the first step toward gaining control over the situation.
Dig deeper:
“Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Ask yourself probing questions as to why your fear is stopping you from taking action in an area of your life. Try to learn the origin of your fear to better understand why it has a control over your ability to make a decision. What triggers your fear? How does your fear affect you physically, mentally and emotionally? Think of the worse- case scenario if you take action to overcome your fear and it backfires. Can you live with that? Now think of the consequences of NOT taking action. Can you live with that?
Imagine a positive outcome:
“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn
Now that you accept and understand your fear better, think about what exactly you want to change and why from an objective standpoint. What do you have to gain by making a positive change? Write down the desired outcomes and then spend some time imagining taking the positive action that leads you to success.
Keep the momentum going:
“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
It takes a certain amount of momentum to deal with fear. When you’re faced with setbacks it can be tempting to decide to give up. Write down concrete action steps that will start the process of change. You already have your big goal set and now it is important to set smaller concrete goals to help you get there.
Resist the temptation to leave things up to fate:
“Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” – Frederick Wilcox
Take action even when you are scared. Sometimes you just have to take a big jump into the unknown. No matter how much you prepare for a change, there is often likely to be some areas where the mystery will remain until you take the plunge and commit to the new experience, job, relationship etc. In order to feel the exhilaration of being fully engaged in your life, you may need to take some risks. When we aim for new beginnings in any area, we take bold steps towards becoming a better and wiser person. With thoughtful persistent effort, the wind will blow our sails to the new Promised Land. When we get comfortable with getting “uncomfortable”, we grow as human beings and start to conquer our fears easily!
Expand your comfort zone:
When you step out of your comfort zone, you are stepping into the unknown, which can feel very scary. Do not merely step out of your comfort zone, but also expand your comfort zone. Eventually, you will do better when you are out of your comfort zone.
The best way to enlarge your level of comfort is to embrace change, even better deliberately look for change. Most important is that you start small and gain terrain step by step, think big – start small. It can be plain simple as ordering a different menu when visiting your favourite restaurant or take a different route to work, go to places you do not usually go. Think of something small and achievable that scares you, and go out and DO it.
“The best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Transition can be scary. Work is a huge part of our lives and when this stability is threatened, it’s easy to feel like the only way forward is to hold tight to the known world behind us. Life beyond the comfort zone can feel like a pipedream. The world outside presents a chance for us to rediscover a truer way of being. One where we are comfortable with the unknown and where it doesn’t hinder us from embracing transition but instead encourages us. By acknowledging where you are and by taking small steps to begin, it’s possible to change your mindset and your future.
“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn
No need to fear change, start embracing it today.
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