This challenge has covered a lot of territory. From helping you cope with unwanted change to creating a culture in your family that embraces change to speaking with your aging parents about inevitable change. The thing is, change can be hard. Not all of it, but some of it can be really big and really painful. I’m going to be honest, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Change can be hard, but most people rise to the occasion when the going gets tough. As cliché as it sounds, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Here’s how going through a tough change can benefit you:
Benefit #1: Tough Change Humbles – Being knocked down humbles people. This is a very good thing! Being in a mental space that focuses on a humble existence can strip away behaviors and thoughts that don’t serve us. Sometimes an event can humble us about the needs of others or the importance of things outside of ourselves. Being able to come back down to Earth so-to-speak is a great way to regroup and move forward with a new heart and a renewed mind.
Benefit #2: Tough Change Builds Resilience – Being in a bad situation forces us to dig deep and find courage, strength, and grit. These things build resilience. This is a very good thing! Being resilient makes it possible to withstand difficulty in the future and be tougher than most when things get hard. Over time resilient people can manage more than people who are weak under pressure.
Benefit #3: Tough Change Builds Awareness – Similar to humility, change can make us aware of the sufferings of others. This is a very good thing! Going through a tragedy can bring insights into what others are facing as well. Making a positive change can make us aware of the courage that it takes to change under various circumstances. Being aware of the sufferings and courage of others helps build community and makes it possible for tough change to be easier and exciting change to be celebrated.
Benefit #4: Tough Change Creates Growth Opportunities – Regardless of what the change is, it requires growth. This is a very good thing! Growing into a new comfort zone or into the person we need to be to manage the magnitude of change is a positive thing wrapped up in a negative experience. Being able to grow despite a tough change is a silver lining in a dark cloud.
People who have experienced tough change will likely tell you that they may not have asked for the issue that required them to change, but that they wouldn’t change the outcome when it was said and done. The experience of becoming the type of person they needed to be in order to manage the change was worth the effort it took to get there. Sometimes change is hard, but that can be a really good thing if you allow the change to benefit you in very specific ways.
