The Fear of Change.
Life is all about change for us at the moment as we have just completed the transition of moving permanently to the UK after 20 years of living overseas!
I’m not going to lie, it was scary, pretty stressful and there were times during the lead-up to the move, we thought it would just be easier to stay where we were and carry on with life and our routine we had grown to know and love so well, after all what difference would just a few more years make? Staying put would be safer, simpler and just easier all round!
Comfort Zones exist for a reason and neuroscientists have shown that uncertainty feels very similar to failure in our brains, so this could be why many people would prefer to avoid change altogether and stay firmly in their comfort zones. It can feel too uncomfortable, sometimes leading to feelings of anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain or stress when people have to face new situations or experiences. Because of this, people would rather stay in the same situation rather than suffer the fear of change, even when making the change is a much better decision. For example when people stay put in jobs that make them feel miserable or unsatisfied, because they are scared to start a new job.
It can be the same when people talk to me about starting their healing journey! They get in touch knowing that they want change, either physical, emotional or spiritual change, or all three, but they feel scared and apprehensive about taking the first step as the outcomes are as yet unknown. When we don’t know what will happen, we can create worry. Trying something new feels risky, so it can sometimes feel easier to stick with what we know, and then actually do nothing.
All my clients come to me when they are ready to take that step and face the fear of change. It takes courage and action to move toward a path of positivity and beneficial outcomes. That’s why it’s so necessary for us to work towards a mindset that can welcome and embrace change.
Hypnotherapy is a wonderful tool to overcome the fear of change. It can help to locate the place where the fear stems from and then with the correct suggestions, override that feeling and work to change behaviour, mindset and language patterns too. We will often break things up into smaller pieces: working in extremes and making big changes all at once can be overwhelming. Instead, we break things down, working on smaller changes that will in turn all lead towards a bigger end goal.
If you are interested in embarking on any journey of personal change, ask yourself some questions. Ask yourself what you are so afraid of. You can then write down the potential outcomes and aspects you fear most and talk about them with the person you decide to work with on your journey. Knowing what you fear will allow you to overcome it and approach change rationally. I always insist on a call with clients before we work together so that questions such as these can be asked.
And remember for successful change, you need to be present. While the past can be a teacher, you need to focus on where you are now to move forward. Living in the future is unknown and adds to anxiety. Being in the now opens the door to opportunity.
It’s human nature to fear change. Over the last 3 months my hubbie and seemed to be in a constant state of worry and anxiety and in the weeks leading up to our move. The survival and protection instinct wires our brains to be like this. However, don’t let this put you off – at some point or another, everyone will experience the fear of change, so hopefully some of the above tips and tricks can help you to overcome this fear and lead you to take action and go after what you truly want!
The Fear is Real. Jumeirah to Southwold – 6420km – the biggest and scariest change of our lives so far, but even though it’s the biggest step, it’s turning out to be the best step out of my comfort zone ever! If you are ready to face the fear of change and take that step out of your comfort zone, get in touch and let’s find a way for you to take the first step on your healing journey.