How Change Improves Your Life

How Change Improves Your Life

Change sucks.

Well, not really…it’s actually a very good thing and an imperative aspect of personal growth and success.

But actually making those changes and experiencing the discomfort it brings?

That’s what sucks.

Let’s talk about how change improves your life.

How Change Improves Your Life

Before I cover how change improves your life, let’s first discuss what keeps people from changing.

What Keeps People From Changing

Discomfort

“One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” ~Andre Gide

Bottom line: Change is uncomfortable. Period.

Resisting change means choosing comfort over growth.

Nobody likes stepping out of their comfort zone-it’s human nature.

But the inability to let go of what is comfortable will prevent you from ever experiencing more.

You have to be willing to live where it’s uncomfortable if you ever want to see increase in your life.

If you want more, you have to be more.

As an introverted person with an inferiority complex, my biggest life struggle is, at times, human interaction.

I literally have to talk myself into becoming someone I’m not, in order to reach out to others.

It pushes me beyond my comfort zone, and I hate it, but I know I must do this in order to grow.

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Challenge

Another factor that keeps people from changing is challenge.

People who struggle with change generally do not embrace challenge.

As an example, I used to hate learning new programs or processes at the office. At this point in time, I was not yet studying (let alone practicing) personal development or thought work.

So, I hated learning new programs or processes that were time-consuming in my already busy workday.

Fast forward a few years later, and I now love the challenge of learning new programs-especially in a digital world. It’s pretty incredible to know I have taught myself so many things by embracing the challenge of learning new programs that I have since added to my repertoire.

People who succeed are able to embrace the challenge that comes with change. Those who don’t won’t move on to get the results they want in life.

The ability to embrace change even when it goes against everything we know, is important to personal growth.

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Next, let’s discuss how people respond to change.

How People Respond to Change

Changing Just Enough to Escape Problems

Most people would rather run away from their problems instead of addressing the cause of them.

It’s like your friend who says she wants to pack up and move across the country so she can start her life over.

She thinks she’s running away from her problems-and maybe she is.

But eventually, those same problems will find her again, until she’s able to address and resolve what’s causing them.

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Doing the Same Thing, Expecting New Results

If you’re doing the same thing repeatedly and not getting the results you want, it’s time to stop what you’re doing and try something else.

You have to be willing to exert the discipline to change to see increase in your life.

If you’re trying to lose weight but you continue eating foods that are bad for you and you lack the discipline to exercise, do you think you’re going to lose weight?

Of course not!

That goes for anything else in life.

What is that one thing you keep coming back to that you can’t seem to conquer?

Maybe it’s quitting smoking or overcoming the fear of going to the gym.

Whatever it is, I want you to think of that one thing preventing you from succeeding, because obviously something is preventing you from succeeding.

Something is sabotaging your efforts.

Then, I want you to think of how you can fix that problem.

And then do it.

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Seeing Change as Hurtful, Not Helpful

“Every time you embrace change, there is an opportunity for you to go in a positive direction, make improvements to yourself, and abandon old negative habits and ways of thinking…Without change there is no innovation, creativity, or improvement.” ~John Maxwell

If you don’t renew your mind to the belief that change is helpful and not hurtful, it’s not going to work.

As an example, I used to struggle to get up early. I saw waking up early as a terrible way to start the day and I did not understand how some people could do it and what benefit it would have for me if I did.

Then, I gave it a shot-and loved it.

I now prefer waking up early because I’m more productive and can accomplish more in a day. Not to mention, I do my best thinking first thing in the morning.

Think of one area where you need to change that you’ve been holding out on because the change seems painful.

How much better might your life be by overcoming that obstacle?

It could be more serious than waking up early. Maybe you need to leave a toxic relationship, but you’re having a hard time pulling the plug.

Or maybe you’re in a dead-end job, but the thought of finding something new and finally quitting is exhausting just thinking about it.

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Changing Only When Prompted

Some people are so resistant to change that it takes certain circumstances to make the decision for them:

Hurting makes them have to change.
Learning makes them want to change.
Receiving makes them able to change.

I believe there has to be a personal breakthrough in order to fully embrace change and see it as a good thing.

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Now, let’s discuss how to cultivate impactful, lasting change.

How to Cultivate Impactful, Lasting Change

Decide to Change

The first step to change is to decide to change.

Your thoughts and actions won’t line up with changing if you haven’t decided to change.

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Change Your Attitude

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at actually begin to change.” ~Wayne Dyer

Even if you decide to change, if you believe changing is an excruciating rite of passage to living a better life “over there,” your actions will not lead you to lasting change.

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Change Your Environment

Depending on what exactly you’re trying to change about your life, you’ll likely have to change your environment:

People you spend the most time with.
The space you live in.
Places you frequent.
Your social media presence.
The way you style yourself and present yourself to the world.
Etc.

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Desire to Live Differently

It’s so much easier staying where it’s comfortable and following what everyone else is doing.

But if you’re not willing to take a look at what you’re doing and change, you can forget about achieving whatever it is you desire.

You can’t become a millionaire with minimum wage habits.

But this article is so much more than just about achieving success or having money.

You cannot and will not live a life of joy and purpose without embracing change.

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Before You Go

So now you’re probably wondering, how does change improve your life?

Understanding and embracing the journey of change does so much more than just changing the aspect of your life you want changed, whether it’s a better job, weight loss, debt paid off, etc.

It changes and grows you.

This is the beauty of change.

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