Change - Get used to it

"The only constant is change ..."(Isaac Asimov). Or so the saying goes. It's a fact that people often (usually ?) resist change. I suspect that all people resist change some of the time, but certainly how much, and what, people resist depends on the person. The problem is that it isn't useful to resist all change, and also not productive. Even tougher, the resistance is often a reflex - not something thought over. I know that I have caught myself doing this, and it is glaringly obvious in one of my sons.

I want to suggest that people should train themselves to live with change. By purposely making changes that we have control over - just because we can - we may gain an edge dealing with change that we have no control over. I guarantee that you will experience change you have no control over.

"Take a walk on the wild side." (Lou Reed)

Separate change from risk. Although change and risk are intertwined, they are not the same thing. Risks should be analyzed separately from the change that produces it (be careful also to realize that not changing can also create risk). What I am advocating is making change for change's sake, but only for low risk changes. High risk changes need to be analyzed a lot more closely. Here is a personal example. Last June I decided I would shave my head, and then let my hair grow for a full year. Having a shaved head was a change, as is now having long hair. The risk is minimal. Neither situation was likely to cause me problems (or advantages for that matter). I just wanted to try it. Although this post isn't about changing your hairstyle, you probably know people that haven't changed their hairstyle in decades because they are afraid to.

So my challenge to everyone is to practice change. Find something in your life that has very little risk and make a change. It's ok if you find you don't like the change - change back. You won't know though unless you try. Although the possible changes you might make are limitless here are a few ideas to get you thinking (you should leave other ideas in the comments section).

• Do you usually go to the same restaurant (or the same kind of restaurant) when you go out for dinner. Then try something new - really new, like an ethnic food you've never tried. If you want to lower the risk go with someone that has been before.
• Instead of going to a movie, try the theatre (or if you usually go to the theatre, try the movies)
• Try a new sport (I'm not talking about as a spectator). Many organizations will allow you to try before making any committments
• Take a course in something interesting (but not necessarily useful to you). Photography, food, human sexuality, foreign language, religion, creative writing, whatever
• Listen to some type of music you've never really listened to before (listen long enough to give it a real chance). This is one area where I used to resist change. I would never have admitted to enjoying "rap crap" 10 years ago. Now I'll give anything a listen - that doesn't mean I'll like it
• Visit somewhere new (of course finances can interfere here)
• Try some different (not necessarily new - just new to you) fashions. I'm not suggesting throwing out an entire wardrobe and replacing it
• If you don't read - try reading. If you read, try reading something different than you usually would

Hopefully in the end this sort of practice will help you to accept other changes. Perhaps it will be easier to truthfully analyze changes for benefits/problems instead of simply rejecting them because they are a change.

(I'll post a couple of pictures of me with shaved head and long hair later.)
Before
Bald

And still to come - hairy.