Growing up, our family moved around a lot.
Utah, California, Washington, Canada, North Carolina and Hawaii are all places I consider home!
With every move to a new city, state, or school came a whole slew of changes in our lives.
Some of these changes were uncomfortable, like being the new girl at school, saying goodbye to old friends, and having to adjust to new places, cultures and climates.
But as a result of those changes, we got to have new and exciting experiences like making new friends, discovering new restaurants and fun things to do in our new town, and making a new house feel like home.
Learning to ride the waves of change is a skill that might not come naturally to some people, but I believe that we can all learn to embrace change and become more flexible.
Change can be FUN and beautiful!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say, “I hate change!”
And sorry Charlie, I just can’t relate to that sentiment!
During the autumn, I love watching the forests turn from green to vibrant shades of scarlet, orange, and gold.
Autumn, as much as we love and celebrate it, is a season punctuated by death in some ways.
It is the dying of the leaves that causes them to change their colors.
As the leaves die, they fall and float to the ground, making it possible for us to crunch them under our feet and making room on each branch for new growth to occur.
If we refuse to let go of old things, there may not be room for beautiful and new things to flow into our lives.
Without the autumns and winters of life, there would be no springs or summers.
Do you resist change? Or do you welcome it?
The only way to grow is to embrace change.
A favorite quote of mine attributed to Steve Clark reads:
“There is no growth in a comfort zone, and there is no comfort in a growth zone.”
Is it possible that you might be sitting pretty in your comfort zone right now?
Or, if you’re feeling like you’re being stretched and challenged in new ways, you might be right smack dab in the middle of a growth zone.
We were not meant to stay the same!
God put us on this earth so that we would learn, grow, and experience a lifetime of new things- all so that we could become more like him.
When was the last time you tried something new?
Big changes can be brought about by taking one small step at a time in the direction you’d like to go!
Now that I’m no longer in school, I have to actively look for learning opportunities and chances to expand my skill set and interests.
It can be as simple as testing out a new recipe for dinner.
Taking a painting class.
Signing up for voice lessons.
Or traveling to a new destination!
Is it the right time to let something go?
Maybe there’s a habit you keep indulging in that you’d really like to change.
Or a toxic relationship that you need to re-evaluate.
Or a job that is not helping you move in the direction of your dreams.
Now is the right time to make that change.
Let go of what might not be serving you anymore to make room for what you truly need and love!
Embracing the hard stuff.
Sometimes the changes that come into our lives are not things we would have signed up for.
We are all faced with unexpected, hard changes. The loss of a loved one. The loss of a job. Natural disasters. The ending of a close friendship or relationship.
I find comfort in the knowledge that all of the unexpected changes that come our way have purpose, and can ultimately work for our good.
Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.
Richard G. Scott
As many of you know, this year has been challenging for my husband and I as we have faced unexpected loss.
But I can honestly say that I’m so grateful the uncomfortable changes that have occurred, simply because we have grown and learned together in remarkable ways.
Sometimes, it’s only after time has passed that we’re able to look back and be grateful for those changes, because without them we wouldn’t have grown into the person that we are now!
How do you embrace change? Send me a message or leave me a comment below!