Adapting to Change

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said: “Change is the only constant in life.” Change is always with us and ever-present, whether it’s a noticeable environmental change (like the changing of seasons), changes that occur within our personal relationships, in the workplace, or even within our own bodies over time.

Much joy and suffering can come with change, depending on how we relate to it. A rainy day can be greeted with dread (if you’re longing for sunshine) or with excitement (if you happen to enjoy jumping in muddy puddles). Change is inherently stressful for most people as we need to marshal resources to adapt to new circumstances. What we often don’t realize is that we have a degree of choice in how we meet the stress that inherently comes with change.

I often see people struggle in two ways when it comes to relating to change: either by avoiding making changes in their lives that may be beneficial to them, or by resisting acknowledgement of the reality of changes that are beyond their control. It’s only natural that most of us have these tendencies; our systems long for homeostasis, for things to remain within a zone of comfort and familiarity. When clinging to a status quo that no longer serves us becomes a source of suffering, however, it is usually not adaptive to continue resisting change in our lives.

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.”
-Serenity Prayer

If you’re interested in further discussing the topic of change and how you relate to it in your life, feel free to book a complimentary consult call with me: https://danielfarbpsychotherapy.janeapp.com/