Everyone to a certain degree fears change – because change ultimately means something new, unpredictable, and uncertain. Overall, we humans do not like change – most of us offer some resistance to it. Change is especially hard when it is forced upon you.
Why do those who want to change—who have a genuine desire to change—still cannot get themselves to make the necessary modifications in their life? William Berry is a practicing psychotherapist, professor at Florida International University, and author of The Second Noble Truth. In his book, he explains that even if a desire to change is present, there are many potential barriers that stand in the way of change.
Berry states that one of the primary barriers is an inability to transform quickly, because what they are altering may have provided a meaningful purpose to them in the past–which is hard to let go of. Furthermore, biologically speaking, our brain is actually wired to resist change. As human beings we seek out pleasure, avoid pain, and conserve energy – none of which help us change or make changes in our life.
It’s not hopeless; change does not always have to be terrifying. Solutions are pretty simple to understand; they are a little tougher to practice. To accept change with ease, you must remain open-minded. This allows you to reap the benefits of continuous improvement. However, to maintain being open-minded, you must always try to gain or obtain new knowledge and information.
William Berry suggests that “acceptance of change can contribute to a more positive perception, as well as embracing forced change”. Basically, you are trying to teach yourself to keep your focus on the positives to eventually get rid of the negatives. Additionally, Berry explains that self-talk is really helpful if you identify as someone who is already what you wish to become.
For more information:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-second-noble-truth/201610/changing-change