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Why Is it Difficult to Change?

Guest post by: Cheryl Hitchcock

Article Overview: This month a lot of changes are on the horizon and I thought it might be interesting to tackle the subject of change and why it is difficult to change.

Why Is it Difficult to Change?

This month a lot of changes are on the horizon and I thought it might be interesting to tackle the subject of change and why it is difficult to change. Sometimes we welcome change into our lives, but other times we resist and run the opposite direction. Even if we know we need to make a change, it's certainly easier and takes less effort to stay the same. One of the most important things to realize is that sometimes when we avoid making the changes we want, eventually another person-or life-will make them for us. It is far more beneficial to create the changes we want, rather than just waiting for something to happen. Like I said, this process is not always easy, but it's definitely a necessary one to embrace. Exploring why it is difficult to change is a good first step. Lets take a look at some of the reasons why change is so hard in the first place:

We are creatures of habit: For the most part, people need a sense of order and routine. Without these things there tends to be feelings of confusion and discomfort. On some level, making a change causes a temporary sense of chaos, so it might make you think that you should go back to the way things were, even if you were miserable. Many people start to make changes and then get into a cycle of fear and worry, and avoid what needs to be done. In the end, the hardest part about changing isn't necessarily the change itself, but the anticipation.

It's easier to stay the same than to change: Doing the same thing over and over usually produces the same results, and whether you're happy with those results or not, it's simply easier just to stay the same. However, sometimes you realize you've had enough and it's time to shake things up. You might find you're suffering more than thriving if a change badly needs to be made, and it's irrational to think that things will magically transform without some effort. So, even though it can be unnerving, making the decision to change and jumping in with both feet is a celebration in itself.

We're operating on autopilot: This is another reason why it is difficult to change. Now, it's not necessary a bad thing to be on autopilot, but it means that you might not notice when a change needs to happen. Many people tend to do things a same way without questioning their actions too much. It's only when patterns are acknowledged and broken that a change can arise.

Change takes effort: Sure, it's easy enough to set goals and get pumped up for awhile, but if you don't put in the honest effort, the changes you want will elude you. Putting in effort means taking small steps every day toward the changes you want to make in life-such as signing up for classes or seminars, doing action-oriented activities, and those big or small steps that lead to achieving goals. In the change process, you have to keep yourself motivated, moving forward, and aware of where you are now and where you want to go.

Fear of the unknown: Changing brings up feelings of vulnerability and the uncertainty that you're exploring unknown territory and there is no guarantee how things will turn out. For some people, this part is exciting and invigorating, but others tend to dislike the unknown and prefer the predictable. In the end, diving into the unknown is usually where some of the greatest growth and feelings of accomplishment can happen. So, go for it!

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Article Tags: change, fear, horizon
Referred by: http://www.vbsondemand.com/



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Re: how many hours do you spend in here per day? - [quote="OmnivoreInk":12jww1u3]Difficult to say.... I'd say I'm here an average of 30 minutes a day.... there's only five folders that I read every day... others I only read if there's some interesting post title...[/quote:12jww1u3] Hi Barbara, So can I ask what are the five folders you follow everyday?
Re: Spellcheck? - [quote="TheAnonymousMan":2f894q6j]When discussing the majority of people I would definitely say that most people hit the "Change" or "Ignore" button without thinking too much about the correct spelling of a word. All bosses are concerned about is getting the report to the Directors meeting on time.[/quote:2f894q6j] That probably depends on what the "majority" are trying to accomplish. I have word set to alert me about misspellings and grammatical problems, so I fix most as I go. But I also add names etc to the dictionary because I get tired of seeing the red and green squiggles when I know the info is right. If you're only going to click "Change" or "Ignore" then why bother to take the time to use spell check????? Business people that I work for want the info compiled in a timely manner and they want it right - which is fine because that's the way I strive to do any project. Sending out a memo, letter, report etc with obvious spelling and grammatical mistakes makes the person and the company look bad as far as I'm concerned. Shri
Re: e-Commerce and e-Payment providers - Hi GT It is only fairly recently that people in South Africa have been able to get full use of Paypal as we were only able at one time to make payments but not receive them. Fortunately this has now changed. I have received money through Global X Change for one of the affiliate programs that I promote and have found them pretty good as the money is normally transferred directly into my bank account within 2-3 days and I have not had any problems with them. MichelleJ
Re: Obama Wants Social Security for Illegals - [quote="Alan Mater":3kaa8sg4] Obama WILL make changes... but they're not the changes we as a country need or should look forward to.[/quote:3kaa8sg4] Sad but this is exactly how I feel about it. Change is coming - but unless I'm really wrong, it is not a change this country needs. Amazing how much a good speaker with a good speech writer can do. If you paid attention to the things he said "off script" - much of it is frightening. Chris


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