Why Change Is So Darn Uncomfortable
The process of making a change starts from a small nagging feeling —wanting something to be different. Eventually it grows into a full on pounding at the door demanding attention that cannot be ignored for a minute longer.
Between the two extremes, your inner being, which champions your growth & your truth, is negotiating with your brain, which champions your safety. The deepening feeling of discomfort is what drives you towards making a change about something because where you are now no longer feels right or fulfilling enough for you anymore.
Change is inevitable. Change grabs you from what’s familiar and comfortable into the uncertainty of facing something new —into the unknown. It’s scary! The possibility of failing, and disappointing others and yourself is scary. Even the possibility of uncharted success & who you’ll become can feel really scary. It’s not uncommon to fear your own power.
Your brain is literally wired to keep you safe & actively seek out any possibility of danger. Brain wants you to stop & have answers first. Who will you need to become in order to meet this new version of yourself? What if you’re a fraud? What will others think of you? What kind of responsibilities will this new success bring you? Can you handle them?
Fear of the unknown can be paralyzing. It can keep you stuck & settling for less. But what becomes even more uncomfortable, is staying in a place you’ve outgrown, knowing you’re meant for more and that staying put is not where you belong anymore. Your untethered potential that comes from your inner being, your truth, is waiting to make its mark in the world through you.
Often when we doing something new, you start at the beginning or somewhere in the realm of lacking experience initially in that new thing —not quite knowing what the future may bring.
Your fuel for change is your vision, your belief in yourself, and your willingness to take action.
The first steps for change are similar for all of us. They’re often shaky and laced with not really knowing if the choices you’re making are even going to make any real difference. Yet you move forward because not taking action is no longer suitable for you.
What about failure? Expect it. Embrace it. It’s literally part of the growth process of figuring it out. Failure is an experience with lots of data for you to evaluate. It’ll give you insight, direction, clarity, & allow you to become even more rooted in knowing who you truly are, what you want, and what you don’t want.
One step forward, as small as it may be, leads to two, and three. This leads to experience and understanding of what worked, what didn’t and allows you to adjust accordingly. This is growth. This is the process of skill building. It doesn’t necessarily bring you immediate satisfaction or big results right away, for that matter —but it does bring you out of stagnation. It often feels internally right and yet uncomfortable at the same time.
Eventually, these little steps will get bigger and turn into strides, shifting your energy, giving you more confidence, leading you to a new place of growth, perspective and living more in your truth. Action is messy but it’s more real than choosing to be stuck in a place that you’ve outgrown.
Allow the discomfort of your old self meeting your new self. This is the expected ‘on brand’ feeling of change. It’s is the symptom of doing something new. It’s uncomfortable, scary, and yet it’s worth connecting with yourself, your purpose, your truth, & who you are.