When change arrives, do you tighten your grip, or open yourself to possibility?
Are you facing an unexpected challenge right now, one that fills you with fear?
Our instinct is to react. To grip tighter, to resist, to focus on what we might lose. But what if we paused? What if we noticed the roses we can smell along the way? Because yes, things may get messy. Sometimes the stuff really does hit the fan. But alongside the uncertainty there can also be moments of joy, if we choose to notice them.
I’ve been reminded of this recently. After years in Pennsylvania, we’ve just made the decision to move to Tennessee. Nothing is settled yet. We need to sell our home, move my business, and start again. Two years ago, I would have resisted. What? We just got here and settled. We’ve made friends. We’ve created a home I love. The trees and bushes I planted are only just beginning to take shape. And we locked into a fixed-rate mortgage you can’t dream of finding today. That would have been my reaction then.
But this year has brought so many unexpected business challenges, and somehow they’ve mellowed me. I’ve learnt to hold on to a positive anticipation of the outcome I want, even when I can’t see the details yet. What surprised me most was how this opened the door to deeper connection within our team. Conversations marked by honesty, openness, and a lack of judgement. Facing uncertainty together shifted something inside me.
Now I can approach this move differently. Rather than react, I’m responding. One step at a time. Seeing it as an experiment. What new experiences might it bring? Longer summers. Kayaking on lakes and rivers I’ve never explored. Living around the corner from my big sister. The joy of connecting with the cycling community. Inviting friends to come and visit us here. Cheaper gas, lower taxes, and more surprises still to be revealed.
We can’t always control what happens. But we can choose how to meet it. Not by reacting in fear, but by responding with openness.
So, if change has come knocking for you, big or small, how might you pause, hold a positive vision, and enjoy the journey? I’d love to hear how you’re responding to the changes in your own life.
And if you’re struggling to find your footing, one book I’ve found worth returning to is Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. His reflections on choice in the face of uncertainty are as relevant today as ever.
