The hardest changes to understand are those that emerge from the unimaginable and are often out of our control – natural disasters, personal loss, a global pandemic, and it is during these challenging times that we often find ourselves exhausted and frightened. Dealing with changes of such magnitudes is overwhelming to say the least, but when we explore the different ways to approach these inevitable experiences, we are given an opportunity to expand.

      This past year hasn’t been easy. Innocent lives have been lost, businesses have been threatened, and the routines we followed for numerous years have been impacted. Everyone has endured these fast-paced alterations that are difficult to come to terms with, but our experiences are made diverse based on our reaction. 

       The world is constantly changing and you can either change with it or get left behind. Ironically, we sometimes attempt to avoid situations we cannot control, rather embracing the good, the bad, and everything in between. While outcomes may vary, an optimistic view can be challenging in times of uncertainty.

      Experiencing a big or sudden change can leave one disoriented at first, and while we adjust to these challenging shifts, we are still in control. The outcome of these experiences can be made better or worse depending on our reaction and our attitude. This year everyone has been challenged by the ever changing lives that we live, the unadmirable outcomes have been made clear, but not everyone can see the positive outcomes as clearly.

      A significant shift in our lives may leave us feeling unstable, but in every change, there is balance. For example, this year while students and teachers alike are at home, we may not realize the positive attributes of this unfavorable situation. This school year more pets have been adopted and fostered during the quarantine. While we were cooped up in our homes rationing Wi-Fi and toilet paper, we were given the opportunity to dive into new hobbies and spend more time with our family members. Maybe we weren’t completely in control during these times, but are we ever 100% guaranteed the outcome we expected?

      When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. The situations we sometimes dwell on are simply out of our control and while we could wrap ourselves up in all the worries and endless questions we can muster, we could rather spend our time gradually adjusting to the new normal. Life without change would simply be boring.