Dealing with changes

This year has brought with it a series of changes for me: new job, moving house, and reaching the end of my studies.

Last weekend, my sister moved out. Though incredibly excited for her, my sadness has begun to kick in, and I am reminded of how much I dread change. Change is not always bad though, so why do so many of us fear it?

Many of us—myself included—crave certainty. We have our routines that we love to abide by, and our habits that we so adamantly cling to. We are the type of people who love our comfort zone, for it is what we know best.

The fear of change can cause anxiety, depression, and stress. It is such a common phenomena that there is even a term for it: metathesiophobia. This fear is often associated with failure, and the uncertainty in taking a risk.

For me, I often cry when I am faced with change. The last day of high school was an emotional day for me, so I know that I will be a bit embarrassing when I finish up at university. Having something end always feel sad to me, because it feels like the end of all the happy memories. But is this reasonable?

Certainly, change can sometimes be bad. We have all had to deal with situations that crop up that we really do not want to deal with them. Yet it is easy to forget that change can be exciting. Sometimes, when I leave my comfort zone, it is when I thrive the most. It means experiencing new things or meeting new people. Learning more about the world and challenging myself.

I know that by the end of this year, things will look quite different to what I am used to. But that shouldn’t be bad thing! It means new opportunities, like entering a new stage of my tertiary education at a postgraduate level, or experiencing the independence of also moving out.

Change can indeed be scary, but I have found when I embrace it, there are often exciting prospects ahead.