The Stress of Change

One of the most exciting things about life on planet earth is the fact that things change. Most changes are positive and absolutely necessary for many reasons.  From the time we are conceived, we grow and change, and then after we are born, we change every day, and through the years we go from babies to toddlers to children to teens to adults to seniors.  Each stage of life offers something new and different.  Many changes, like aging, cannot be changed.  But there are other things, like the direction we choose in life that can be changed. 

Some people thrive on change and making changes.  A woman, for instance, may like to change her clothing style from season to season and year to year.  She may also like to change her hairstyle, adjust her weight from time to time and also re-arrange her home.  Men who like change may switch vehicles, or continue to buy the latest and greatest power tools.  If they’re into electronics, they’ll keep upgrading their media and buy bigger and better TV’s, the latest cell phones and/or computer equipment (many women also do this).  Some people who thrive on change may change their jobs, or even move to another city for the change of scenery.  Other people like traveling to different places all the time for the newness of each vacation experience.  While some people love change, others struggle with it.  They like the same job day after day, the same city and area in which they live, their small and intimate circle of friends, and their same hobby.  They resist change and it makes them feel disturbed and uncomfortable.  And yet we all need to adjust to changes in life whether we like change or not.

So when is change good for us?  Changes that produce healthy growth in our lives are generally the ones that are good for us.  Sometimes we hold onto things, not realizing that even a simple change will make all the difference.  We can change our present circumstances by taking one small step at a time and we will begin to notice an immediate change in our stress level.  About a year ago, I started reading books about enjoying life and some of it had to do with making simple changes in how we arrange and furnish a favorite room in our house.  Changing a color scheme can actually make a difference in brightening up a room!  Perhaps all we need to give us a lift is a little bit of lemon-yellow mixed in with a vibrant pure bright blue in a dried flower arrangement. Getting rid of clutter can give us a wonderful feeling and our home becomes more welcoming.  So sometimes small changes are all that we need to stir up our creative juices and energize us enough to make other harder-to-tackle changes. 

One of the greatest things in life is that we can welcome change and make change happen.  Sometimes we put things off and we don’t even realize it, but we’re carrying a weight around with us every day that we really don’t have to.  Some people want to lose weight; others want to get out of debt or save money for a hoped-for vacation or other beneficial thing.  These are good goals to strive for that will bring about a positive change in our lives.  But they all begin with one step at a time, one day at a time.  There was a time when I needed to lose weight.  Somehow I had gained too much weight, probably from a sedentary reading-writing sit-down lifestyle.  I was writing two complete family histories back-to-back at the time and had just completed two years of studying in university.  No matter what I tried, I just couldn’t lose weight since I was so exhausted from all my writing and researching and my metabolism wasn’t fast enough to burn off the calories.  I began with a simple prayer and asked God to help me lose weight (20 pounds).  Not long after, I had a problem swallowing dry food, so I had to stop eating the breads, buns, pizzas and anything with bread.  If I ate dry food, I had to take small pieces and wash it down with water.  It might take me an hour to eat a hamburger and fries.  Finally, I gave up and went to wet foods like soups, salads, fruits and lots of good fruit and vegetable juices.  Gradually, the weight started coming off and about a year later, I had lost a total of 47 pounds and have kept it off for five years.  I can’t even describe how good I felt after this.  I had more energy.  I could walk fast again and get lots done.  My bones or my feet no longer ached from the stress of the extra weight.  I didn’t have digestion or heart-palpitation problems.  It opened up a whole new life for me.  And I ended up with a brand new wardrobe of clothes!

Sometimes, many times, change is thrust upon us.  For almost everyone, we find it difficult when this happens.  We may have just gotten comfortable in a new job, for instance, only to find out we are going to be laid off or we discover that the job is not what we thought.  Perhaps you just bought a new house or moved into a condo or apartment only to find that the neighbours are so noisy, you can’t even get your rest.  And then there are natural disasters, like spring flooding, and if you live close by the water, you may lose your home or even your livelihood.  Some countries, like Japan, lost everything – families, homes, entire villages!  How does one even begin to rebuild with such a great loss?  Some people experience sudden health problems and have to adjust their entire life around their illness or malady.  The health care business is booming as people look for the right cure, the right drug, or vitamin to bring healing to them.  So how do we handle sudden changes that leave us emptied of our former life as we know it?

In the beginning of this blog, I mentioned that one of the things in life that we can change is the direction we choose in life.  If you’ve been reading along and following this blog, you will have noticed that I mention the importance of choosing Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord and Savior.  I will keep mentioning it because He is the only One who has the power to save us.  No on else can!  He is the One and Only True God of the world and the universe and everything good that is created.  Not only does He save us from our sins (which, without knowing and accepting Him, will keep us out of heaven for eternity), but He also saves us from many potential disasters that could happen to us on this earth!  This is not to say that bad things won’t happen to us.  They most certainly likely will!  But He is our deliverer and strong tower.  We can run to Him in any situation we are faced with in life and He will be there for us, without fail.  I am living proof of this.  I could tell you time after time how He’s delivered me, provided for me, healed me, counselled me, doctored me and even nursed me back to health.  He has carried me through all the many changes I have been faced with in this life.  He has helped me make big and small decisions, He has helped me to wait, and He has shown me the way.  He is the BEST FRIEND I have ever known.  Knowing Him is the most comforting fact of my life.  Nothing and no one can compare to Him.  I often wonder how a person can get through all the difficulties of this life without knowing Him.  Real change occurs when we bring God into our lives.  Everything changes for the better even while we struggle though things, because God will be with us, protect us, provide for us and so on.  If you are reading this and want to know how to change the direction of your life that will count for all of eternity, please click here.

In another blog I’d like to talk about changes that may occur in relationships and how to handle them.  Thank you for reading and I pray that you experience good changes in your life today.