Change may be the single most feared idea that keeps us from experiencing the true beauty of this life. The fear of change keeps us from loving more and living more. It is what keeps us living an ordinary life rather than an extraordinary life. If we continuously avoid opportunities of change, we stop growing. We become inert. This day will look like the day before. We become stuck in the patterns we have made for ourselves and see life through a single lens. But what if we looked at each new day, each new circumstance, each new breath on this earth, as an opportunity to change and grow into a more dynamic being?
These past few years have really challenged me to open the door to change. Some were painful and required months to understand and adapt to. Others were simply easy to accept. But not one of these opportunities for change do I regret. From these opportunities came times for me to become a better wife, a better sister, a better daughter, a better friend, and a better doctor. As I reflected on these transformational moments in my life, I became aware of five common things that allowed me to integrate each experience and have a better understanding of the growth that came from it. With these five ideas, I feel that you too will be able to welcome change a little more!
5 Strategies to Welcome Change
1) Know your constants.
2) Create your community - mentors, friends, family.
3) Be willing to look at life through a different set of lenses.
4) Create balance.
5) Know your purpose.
Know your constants.
Constants are unwavering, no matter the situation of life. These are the things you can have total reliance on. These constants may look different or have different names to every person, but they are the same in the fact that they are always working in your favor as you go through transformational moments in your life. There are 2 constants that I know are foundational when our worlds begin to shake:
God—Through my time here, I have had to rely on God more than ever. When I started to think I was in control of where my life would go next, God turned my life upside down to prove that His plan is always greater. One of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein says it perfectly:"If God is omnipotent, then every occurence--including every human action, every human thought, and every human feeling and aspiration--is also his work." So remember that God is always working in our favor, no matter the situation.
Love—Unconditional love is single-handedly the most powerful and constant force in the universe. You must first know you were created in the image of God, the perfect love, and therefore are created out of love. From this state, you become a magnet for what your heart desires, and a magnet for others to live in this state of love.
Surround yourself with mentors and people who support you in your changes.
I cannot express to you how important it is to be surrounded by people who inspire you to become a better version of yourself. If the people you are surrounded by now do not bring you to higher level of being, you are holding yourself back from the best version of yourself. During transformational moments in my life, the people that I surrounded myself with were there to talk to, guide me, love me, and support me. This came from my church family, my biological famoly, my husband, my closest friends, and the doctors I look up to. Community is foundational in helping point out areas that need change, events that are opportunities for change, and supporting us through those changes.
Be willing to see life through a different set of lenses.
We all have views of this world that have been ingrained into our being since the day we were born. The way we were raised and the social influences around us helped mold our lens into how we view the world today. Your perception of this world is merely a reflection of your current lenses. In times of change, we must take off these lenses and try on a new pair. Whether it is a difficult or easy change, you must look from all perspectives to gain the full view. You must always ask yourself why you may have resistance, why it is occurring, and how you can use this moment to help you grow. When you are able to evaluate times of change from all different views, you are better able to fully integrate these experiences and grow into a more dynamic being.
Create balance in your life.
Living a balanced life is never an easy task. It takes hard work. It must be a daily intention, a daily habit. In my journey through Chiropractic school, there were countless hours of class time and studying. It gave me the illusion that there was never enough hours in the day for anything else. It was easy to say, "When I am done with school, that's when I will have time to create balance." But as I reflected on this concept of balance, I knew it was not going to get any easier when I got my diploma and entered the real world. I knew the time had to be now. I had to find my highest priorities and let go of everything else that held me back. I found that when I was in balance, school was a lot easier, my days went by smoother, and I felt energized. I came home at the end of the day thinking, " Wow, that was a great day," despite any unforeseen circumstances that happened that day. I am dedicated to my daily rituals so that I can show up at 100% to serve in whatever way I am asked. If you do not serve your mind,body, and spirit first, you will burn yourself out, leaving no room to serve others at your highest capacity!
Know your purpose.
Lastly, and most importantly, you must know your purpose in this life. Your purpose is your driving force. It is what makes you excited to jump out of the bed in the morning. It is what makes you take inspired actions that are aligned with what God wants for your life. I know that the purpose of my life is to empower others to embrace transformation in their body, mind, and spirit so that they can live an extraordinary life. So what is it that makes you tic? What is it that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning? Remind yourself daily of whatever your purpose is, so that in every action you take, you are inspired to live out this purpose and will inspire others to do the same.
In opening your heart to change, you will see your life transform before you. Your relationship with yourself and others will be heightened and more intentional. You will adopt behaviors that allow you to express a more vibrant self. You will have unwavering certainty and inspiration.
So do not fear change when it shows up at your door. Embrace the change because nothing good ever comes out of living in your comfort zone!