This fresh start of a new decade has me thinking a whole lot about change. To many, including myself, change can be intimidating and difficult to accept. It often shakes us from the comfort of our daily routines and surroundings. But above all, change brings an uncertainty as to what the future holds. I’d always find myself addressing this uncertainty as a negative, constantly worrying that where I was headed wouldn’t be as good as where I came from. Recently, I’ve come to the realization that this uncertainty can be a positive as well! A change in our surroundings is most definitely overwhelming, but it can also introduce new opportunities for growth. Leaning into the changes that come our way, whether we expect them or not, might be more necessary than we wish to admit.
Change is certainly not uniform, which is why it tends to sneak up on us most of the time. It can come in the form of a new job, a new environment, new relationships. These changes, however, can also be subtle and harder to recognize. The people and ideas that we choose to surround ourselves with is perhaps the most significant change a person can make. Our surroundings shape our values and our attitudes, whether we are conscious of it or not. So as we think about setting resolutions and goals for the year ahead of us, perhaps we might focus our energy on creating a positive and healthy surrounding for ourselves – a surrounding that provides support and appreciation for the changes we decide to make in our own lives.
Making this change in one’s surroundings might not seem like an easy task to accomplish. Once again, it can be very difficult to change the relationships that you’ve become accustomed to and comfortable with. However, I’ve come to understand that making this change does not mean you have to abandon these relationships completely. Rather, it’s a matter of balancing the people around you and finding a group of people that love and accept the person you choose to be.
As unnatural and scary as change may seem, it allows us to grow into a new version of ourselves and reach past our comfort zone. It requires trust and courage. It challenges our boundaries while offering a new perspective. Most importantly, it introduces an opportunity for new relationships and new insights we otherwise may have never encountered. So, as the first few weeks of the new year begin to unfold, challenge yourself to not only tolerate change, but to celebrate it! Take it as an opportunity to act on small changes in your daily life, and continue to build on them. Down the road, these changes might just expose us to a world of opportunity we may have never before noticed.