Why is it so difficult to adapt to change?

“Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial & error, change – this is the rhythm of living. Out of over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clear vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress.”

- Bruce Barton

“Progress is a nice word. But change is its motivator. And change has its enemies”

– Robert Kennedy

How shall we define change? Shall we say it’s a modification to a person’s environment or situation? 

Change is hard, because it’s scary. It freaks us out, but it’s good. The fact that you never know exactly what you’re going to get, frightens us. Change, whether it’s good or bad, causes stress. The interesting thing, though, is that many of the change that happens also represent “good” things. In other words, even good change is stressful.

People will stick to behavioural patterns, because they are normally familiar with it and they feel safe. And by this, they’ll remain paralyzed by their fear. They feel stuck and the only movement they make is by going round and round in circles. Why is it then that as humans, whenever something happened in our personal world that is inconsistent with the way we feel the world should be, we encounter fear and/ or feel some level of stress…. Yet it’s only Change!

Change only requires an adjustment on your outlook. We have to be willing and ready to make the change and stay on this new path of change, despite misgivings.  To persevere until a point is reached whereby we would reflect and see the old path as just a distant memory.

Quotes on Change!

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude”

– May Angelou

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves”

– Viktor E, Frankl

"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride unless your back is bent"

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Any change, even a change for the better is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts”

– Arnold Bennett