Why do we see Change as a negative
Change for the better, now.
“Who likes change?”
Nobody.
We often see change as something that shouldn’t happen or exist.
Change forces us out of our comfort zone into the unknown. It’s the unknown that makes us uncomfortable and afraid of change.
However, there are two views to change — the optimistic and pessimistic. How we decide to look at the situation determines its outcome. Take the current global pandemic; for example, we can either choose to see it as an opportunity to spend more time with immediate family members or we can think of it as a painful process stuck at home 24/7 without leaving the house. I believe there are always two sides to a situation. What matters is how we look at it.
“There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” — William Shakespeare
Change does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. Do you see the glass of water as half-empty or half-full? This is a common expression to describe optimists and pessimists.
Pessimist vs Optimist
According to dictionary.com, Pessimism is defined as the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcomes, results, conditions, problems.
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill
Pessimists choose to stay in their comfortable shell; almost too comfortable. These people have a fixed mindset and see the world as colourless.
It’s a way for them to keep their expectations low so that they don’t have to feel bad when they fail to meet certain goals. And how do they react to change? The answer is simple by not accepting and running away from it. They do not adapt to change. Instead, they wait for change to adapt to them.
On the other hand, Optimists are people who see change as a challenge, and they are ready to fight it.
According to dictionary.com, Optimism defines as a disposition or tendency to look on the more favourable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favourable outcome.
Optimists have strong willpower that enables them to adapt and accept any change they might face. They anticipate change.
Optimism does not come naturally to us. It takes time and effort to transform to an Optimist.
Analogy: Who Moved My Cheese?
“Who Moved My Cheese” is a book written by Spencer Johnson on how to deal with change.
Cheese refers to the things we want in life.
The four characters in his book, Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw, demonstrates the four different ways we react to change.
Sniff: He detects the change early and adapts quickly.
Scurry: Upon change, he dives into action.
Hem: Denies and resists change.
Haw: Learns to adapt to change.
Which one of the characters are you?
How to accept change?
Shift your mindset. Shift it from the negative to the positive. It is perfectly normal to feel intimidated, but don’t let those feelings stay long. Situations can change for the better or the worst. No matter what the outcome is, accept it. Embrace it. Make the best out of it. Who knows, something good might come out of it.
Learn from Change. Learn to anticipate it. The world is forever changing. Be open to new ideas that may provide even better opportunities.
Conclusion
Everyone changes, including me. Change is inevitable in life. Change is bound to bring challenges for us. Learn to overcome it and emerge as a winner. Choose how to react to change. Why be afraid of change when we can overcome it? Think about it.
