4036: [Part 1] 7 Steps to Embracing Change Without Fear or Frustration by Sabrina of Budding Optimist

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_00] Enjoy more ways to save at Fred Meyer like low prices in every aisle. And when you download the Fred Meyer app, you can clip and save more with digital coupons every week. Plus, you can earn fuel points to save up to $1 per gallon at the pump. At Fred Meyer, you can enjoy more ways to save and more rewards every time you shop. So it's always easy to save big every day with savings and rewards. Fred Meyer, fresh for everyone. Savings may vary by state. Fuel restrictions apply. See site for details.

[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_01] Before we start, I want to share a super powerful practice I use called NSDR or Non-Sleep Deep Rest. In just about 10 minutes or so, this Yoga Nidra practice leaves you feeling as refreshed as after a nap without actually sleeping. Experience it for yourself on our guided podcast. Search NSDR and look for the one from Optimal Living Daily.

[00:00:54] [SPEAKER_01] This is Optimal Living Daily. 7 Steps to Embracing Change Without Fear or Frustration, Part 1 by Sabrina of BuddingOptimist.com and I'm Justin Malik. I have a bit of a longer post so I'll read the first half today and then finish the rest for you tomorrow. So with that, let's get right to Part 1 and start optimizing your life. 7 Steps to Embracing Change Without Fear or Frustration, Part 1 by Sabrina of BuddingOptimist.com.

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_01] Change. Some of us love it. Some of us dread it. I'm guessing you're not a change enthusiast or else you wouldn't be here. Hey, I get you. Who doesn't like the efficiency and the comfort of a well-practiced routine? Our fondness for routine is wired into us, like a thread woven into the fabric of our mind. It's normal to crave certainty and stability. But life, as you probably know by now, loves throwing us curveballs.

[00:01:53] [SPEAKER_01] As much as we want things to remain the same and within our sphere of control, they rarely obey our wish. And as a result, we end up feeling anxious, frustrated, or unhappy. So what can we do to feel better in this world full of constant change? We may not be a change lover by nature, but the good news is we can all learn to embrace change. How? We'll keep listening to find out.

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_01] But first, let's look at a crucial question. Why is it important to adapt to change? Change is an inevitable part of life. Sometimes it comes in a huge wave and other times it trickles gently. It could be something as life-changing as a serious health crisis, like the one I had when I was 19. Or it could be something relatively minor, like being assigned to a new work team. No matter what size or impact it has on our lives, one thing is for sure,

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_01] we can't stop change from happening. The only thing we can do is adapt to change. But what if we don't adapt? What if we hold on to the status quo defiantly and wave an imaginary fist in the air against the tide of change? Well, our best answer lies in what happened to those who defied change in the past. History has no shortage of examples of those who failed to adapt. The dinosaurs, the French monarchy, Blackberry. Where are they now?

[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_01] And I've also seen up close what happens to people who refuse to adapt. As a human resources professional, a large percentage of my work involves helping employees deal with change in the workplace. And I can tell you, resistance to change is not a trait that'll get you that raise, promotion, or recognition. Instead, it could hurt your career. As sad as it is when modern organizations are pushed to adapt at a mind-blowing speed themselves,

[00:03:47] [SPEAKER_01] the change resistors are usually the first ones left behind. If there's one thing these examples taught me, it's this. Adapt or die. Okay, you might not die like the dinosaurs did, but you get my point. So how can we deal with changes around us? Here are seven steps to help you embrace change without fear or frustration. Embracing change with an open mind. Seven steps. Number one, accept your fear.

[00:04:17] [SPEAKER_01] Does change seem scary to you? Don't worry, it's normal to feel this way. Fear of the unknown is a fundamental fear that is built into us by evolution. Even the best of us can feel apprehensive in the face of the unknown. And what is change? It's the unfamiliar, the uncertain. Change is the unknown. So if you're feeling anxious or frightened by change, don't feel bad and don't try to push these feelings away.

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_01] Instead, accept them as part of the process. An essential component of embracing change is learning to embrace the emotions you feel along the way. Number two, acquire knowledge. One of the best ways to cope with any kind of change is to understand as much as you can about it. You know what they say, information is power. When it comes to change, information really is powerful. It helps reduce uncertainty and promotes a greater feeling of control.

[00:05:13] [SPEAKER_01] And a sense of control, as I've come to learn from my own journey overcoming cancer, is critical to our happiness and well-being. So find out as much as you can about the change. From credible sources, of course. Are you facing a sudden health diagnosis? Learn more about it from your physician, medical journals, or community support groups. Is your company going through an acquisition? Talk to your HR and pay attention to company communications, not the gossip around the water cooler.

[00:05:43] [SPEAKER_01] The more you understand the change, the more power you'll have, and the better you'll feel about it. Number three, stop venting. I'm not complaining, I'm just venting. Sound familiar? At first glance, venting seems like a good idea. After all, isn't talking it out with someone beneficial for our mental health? Nuh-uh. At least not from my own experience. I've done a lot of venting myself, and I've also observed plenty of venting sessions in my line of work as HR.

[00:06:12] [SPEAKER_01] And one thing I've learned about venting is that it doesn't make you feel better. In fact, it can make you feel worse. How come? We'll hear that on tomorrow's episode. You just listened to part one of the post titled, Seven Steps to Embracing Change Without Fear or Frustration, by Sabrina of Budding Optimist. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Thank you to Sabrina.

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_01] She's been through a lot, as she alluded to in this post. At the beginning of the article, she mentioned a major change in her own life, a serious health crisis at the age of 19. That was being diagnosed with leukemia. She had to have a bone marrow transplant. And also, on top of that, lives with a rare, progressive, and irreversible lung condition. And I bring all of that up because, one, I think we often take our own health for granted.

[00:07:09] [SPEAKER_01] But also, two, there's a lot to learn from people who have this completely different perspective on life that I think you can only have with this kind of health issue. Many of us will never know what that's like. Sort of how our parents say that you'll understand when you become a parent. And we can't know what that's like until we go through a similar experience. But in the meantime, we can learn so much from others who have already walked a certain path.

[00:07:37] [SPEAKER_01] But anyway, we're going to continue to hear some more of these tips to embrace change tomorrow. So I'll leave it there for today. Thank you for being here and listening every day. And I'll see you tomorrow where we'll finish up this post. And where your optimal life awaits.