NickVenturella.com 3-12-21 - change ain't easy

Change ain't easy

March 12, 2021

Snow has melted! Winter will soon be a memory. Yay!

Pandemic lockdown began a year ago. What? Crazy! However, we’re surviving and looking forward to brighter days.

A lot has evolved and changed over the last year, but one thing that always amazes me is our ability as humans to adapt, build new routines (no matter how hard that seems as it’s happening), and create a rhythm to continue forward progress in the midst of unusual and even chaotic circumstances.

Life always changes. Sometimes more slowly, and as we have experienced, sometimes abruptly. Change is typically hard. It forces our brain to burn more calories to figure out a new way of doing things that we used to do out of habit (and human nature drives us to constantly  develop habits - consciously or unconsciously - as a way for our brain to conserve calories and operate on auto-pilot to an extent. If this concept is of interest, read Charles Duhigg’s book, “The Power of Habit”).

So, if we know change is going to occur in life, but we just don’t always know when, how can we be prepared to deal with change when it’s upon us without being totally thrown for a loop and buried in our own overwhelm and anxiety?

Everyone is different and how each of us deals with change, and ultimately stress, is different. However, my best advice is to slow down.

Once you recognize change that may spark stress or anxiety, slow down, don’t allow your mind to race and speed up. That’s typically what causes more anxiety and overwhelm. Instead, slow your thoughts. Take a deep breath and step back. It can be helpful to write down what the change represents to you and why it makes you anxious. Simply, identifying what you’re afraid of or anxious about can get it out of your brain enough to make space for you to ponder solutions and ways forward.

And that’s the hump you typically need to get over when anxiety hits - the ability to see the possibilities and even opportunities in the face of change and uncertainty vs. the gloom and doom of all the possible negative outcomes.

Then, if need be, resort back to gratitude. Write out 5 to 10 things you’re grateful for in that particular moment. I can almost guarantee that practice will help to ease your mind that moment.

We’ve all been through a crazy year of change, but today and tomorrow can be brighter if you focus on the light.----------

Stay positive. Stay healthy. Be kind.Sincerely,Nick VenturellaCreative Professional, andco-founder of Eleven Music Career CenterNickVenturella.comnickVmusic.netFacebookYouTubePatreon