How to End Emotional Suffering and Embrace Change for a Happier Life

Like It Or Not

Covid or not, it overwhelmingly feels like we’re being thrust into the unknown on a daily basis. But, hasn’t life always been elusive? Then why do we continue to suffer emotionally when change comes upon us?

Change will happen whether we like it or not. And, that is the nature of change. It’s constant. And, if we don’t keep up with it, it will overpower us.

But, voluntary change is hard. When things are working just fine, why change anything right? But, life during Covid is not working for most of us. Here’s how we can understand a few things to become change proof.

How Does Change Come?

The different ways change can come. There’s one in which we, ourselves, are the proponents of change.

1. You’re simply not OK with status quo and you want out.
2. You’ve redefined what success means to you.
3. Your sense of personal fulfillment has changed.
4. Your ideas of making an impact have evolved.
5. The reality of your circumstances have changed. Ex: You became a father.
6. Your priorities have changed.
7. Your short term goals and your long term aspirations have changed.
8. New opportunities have opened up that give you a chance for larger impact.
9. You’ve new insights as you grow yourself each day and want to put them into use.
10. You’ve acquired new skills that want to be put into use.
11. Your current job feels irrelevant to your new personal ambitions.

There’s a second way, when things out of our control begin to rapidly evolve around us. Thereby, bringing in change in a forceful way. Here are a few examples.

1. An invisible, deadly virus has overtaken your world.
2. Unforeseen adversity at work or sudden personal health crisis.
3. The ecosystem that you’re part of as a team member is changing, leaving you with no choice but to seek out other opportunities.
4. The company you work for has adopted a new vision that doesn’t match your personal philosophy.

How Society Deals With Change

Our culture tells us that when things don’t go our way, we must be sad, we must fret and if all fails, protest – sometimes very violently.
Here are signs of emotional suffering you can spot in yourself and others. Not just when we’re having a day of the blues, but an ongoing persistent sadness that can be seen in any of these below traits.

* A seismic shift in personality
* Agitated and moody
* Withdrawn and exhibiting poor self care
* Hopelessness and pessimistic views

The Ultimate Truth

Will we ever be back to “normal”?

Only time will tell, what normal will feel and look like just a few months from now.

But, here’s the bottom line. Don’t flow upstream. Don’t try to fight your circumstances and resist your changing circumstances. And don’t panic and live with status quo. Usher in change and change with it, so you can navigate life smoothly as it unfolds around you in all it’s unpredictability.

Whichever way you want to look at it, every change brings with it an opportunity. If the change is favorable to our expectations, it brings abundance and prosperity. If the change is adversity, it brings an opportunity to learn a lesson.

In the end, it helps to remember that feelings of sadness, fear, disappointment or rage are not built to last. Emulate nature. No storm lasts forever. And in its wake, there’s always hope that comes from rebuilding our lives.

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