Embrace Change, You Can’t Go Wrong

Golden opportunities present themselves in glorious ways.

I’m not one for change, but it is inevitable. One of the worst things I can experience is feeling out of control. It induces anxiety. First, I become frantic and needy — then I want to climb into a hole.

But embracing change is within our control. I have a choice to accept the new normal or to hang on to the past. Whichever I choose will have an impact.

Every week, for the past year and a half, I’ve met with a small group of like-minded people on zoom to engage in personal development. Each one of us was striving to embody a better life through mindfulness and meditation.

I was timid at first. Showing up in front of strangers was a stretch, but it didn’t take long to feel grounded, and then I focused on the internal work.

I was grateful for this network that supported me through bumps in the road and who willingly shared their own experiences so I could learn from them. Through this process, I felt feelings of love and connection, unlike any other I’ve experienced with people I’ve never physically met.

Then everything changed.

In this recent session, the instructor filled the class with a zoom room full of active participants. There was no longer the familiarity of closed classes, and the instructor kept inviting more. Many of these strangers embraced the opportunity. Suddenly, instead of fifteen bonded members, there was a class nearly double.

Did I mention I’m not fond of change? It induces tunnel vision. I view the new “what is” as damaging, and I overpraise the “what has been.”

I wasn’t quiet about it either. The first chance I got, I voiced my disappointment. I felt guilty I couldn’t assimilate and welcome those who were new. I also felt selfish. What right did I have to keep our group closed to avoid others from reaping the same rewards?

My trainer was patient with my hesitancy. She appreciated the struggles I faced. However, I could see no way around my discomfort. I felt with this change came little choice. So finally, through upset and outrage, I decided to no longer come.

Then, the leader posed a fundamental question. She asked, “what choices did I have?”

When I said, “only one — and that is to leave,” she showed me I’d missed the other three.

• I could not come while feeling angry.
• I could decide not to come from a feeling of acceptance and joy.
• I could stay in the class and feel anger and resentment.
• I could come to class with renewed enthusiasm and hope.

It took little to convince me. You can’t go wrong when you choose a path driven by optimism and possibilities. So, with renewed inspiration, I agreed to give change a chance, and I stayed.

Yesterday, I had my first class since my awakening. When I saw the strangers, I embraced their presence with gratitude. These new members were here to offer me the opportunity for growth.

I listened intently to their questions — I shared my input with vigour. I embraced them with a renewed sense of wonder.

We all have a decision about how we cope with change. I’m grateful for help from my trainer. I refused to self-sabotage and went after what I wanted, which, funnily, is my desire to build more significant connections.

I almost missed out because of my resistance to transformation.

And the good thing about strangers is they don’t stay unfamiliar forever. So thankfully, I am confident, soon, many of these outsiders will become my welcomed newfound friends.

There are reasons to be thankful to those who push us past our comfort zone and who help us realize we’re more resilient than we thought possible. So I offer gratitude to everyone who, through this experience, helped teach me this crucial lesson. And thank you, Trista, for providing me with Thank You Notes to share this realization with others.

If you’d like to receive emails whenever I publish a story, please sign up here.