WHY THE CHANGE?

Change in life, they say it's constant yet we are often resistant to change due to its uncertainties or that we just want to remain in our comfort zones forgetting that change is an integral part of our personal development in life. One thing we fail to realize is that even when we do not want certain changes in our lives, they still come. Change is one of the most powerful forces on earth and it happens to everyone with or without our permission. The only one who remains the same and never changes is God Almighty. Some changes are initiated by us and as a result, we easily adapt to these changes because we consciously wanted them to occur but what happens to unpleasant changes we do not want but yet occur in our lives? Some perceived bad changes in our lives are by default good and a blessing in disguise. An example of a perceived bad change that took place in the Nigerian polity by majority of the populace was the emergence of the Buhari administration in 2015 with the promise of a change which affected so many lives either positively or negatively. For some, it was a wanted change while for others, the change was unpleasant - some people lost their jobs in the process of the change while some are still in job. For some, their businesses are thriving in this government while for others, their businesses are dropping or have crumbled, but in all, the good part of this change is that for those who are still in jobs, they have learnt to appreciate the jobs they have if they never did, every kobo is now of utmost importance to everyone if we never valued the least penny we had. Some people, whether in job or not  have been forced to opt for businesses either as a side hustle or as a main source of income and most of all, almost everyone has become good managers of finances. No one wants a single cent to go into waste.☺

In our personal lives, even when we think we have our lives all mapped out, things happen that shape our destinies in ways we might have never imagined. So many changes either wanted or unwanted have occurred. The wanted changes have given us so much joy and have called for celebrations such as marriages but what happens or what do we do when unpleasant changes occur in our personal lives? Many of us would rather shy away from such changes as they can be unsettling but embracing this change can really enhance our growth and personal development. I would like to encourage us all to see the positive side of every change that occurs in our lives. There is a reason for everything that happens in our lives. There are times we plan to go a certain path in life or set goals in our lives to achieve at a certain time and how to go about achieving these set goals but then unforeseen circumstances or changes occur and when they do, we do not have to kill ourselves or get depressed over them but to be optimistic. The only thing that has happened is that the route/path to achieving a set goal is changed but the goal or purpose hasn't changed. Most times, it is God re-directing our footsteps on the right paths so we don't go astray of His original and perfect plan for our lives. He said in his words "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord." plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 God will never let you go through the wrong path in life. He designed you for a purpose and every aspect of your life has been planned by Him. Even in your relationships, God knows the best partner suitable for you. So when a relationship does not go as planned, then it was never meant to be. Irrespective of the kind of change you encounter, great or small, good or bad, there is a reason for it and benefits attached to every change encountered.


Here are some benefits of change

• PERSONAL GROWTH : You learn new things in life every time a change occurs. There are things you get to do that ordinarily you would never have imagined or believed you could do them. Sometimes we get insights into things we want to do as a result of certain changes that occur in our lives as well as learn lessons. There is also the mental growth as a result of change. For every failed relationship, we know better what to look out for in a partner. 

• LIFE'S IMPROVEMENT : Certain changes in life bring to us improvements in various aspects of our lives. We get to do things differently from what we usually do. Some changes bring alive or improve skills/talents in us.

• STRENGTH :  The unpleasant changes encountered make us much more stronger and wiser than we were before. Sometimes, we do not know how strong we are till we encounter challenges in our lives. Like they say " What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger". When the relationship you are in or once in failed, you never knew you could survive the break up but you did and that made you much more stronger than you could imagine.

• OPPORTUNITIES : Some changes are opportunities in disguise themselves. They present to us opportunities that ordinarily we might never have had but for the change. An unplanned lost job could lead to a better job, can give one a better idea or opportunities to start a profitable business. Some changes bring alive the gifts/talents in us. A Failed relationship leads to a better relationship accompanied with peace of mind.

• FLEXIBILITY : We become flexible accepting certain changes in life especially when life doesn't go as expected/planned and there is nothing you can do about it. We may have been rigid following a particular way of life but when a change that we can do nothing about occurs, we become flexible and susceptible to that change. We get to learn to adapt to new situations, environments and even in our relationships with people.

• VALUES : As changes occur in our lives, values are reinforced, developed and improved. Certain changes in life give us the opportunity to reevaluate life and view life from different perspectives. One who never had compassion or empathy will be forced to have such value when a certain change occurs in the person's life.

• EXPERIENCES : For every change encountered, comes with it valuable experiences to help shape your life and teach you valuable lessons and with these experiences, your life becomes more exciting and making you wiser in life.

• SELF EFFICACY : Each change we encounter, builds in us self-efficacy. It helps build in us skills or improve already had skills and leaves with us an inbuilt ability to overcome future challenges. We learn to deal with challenges as they come our way. Most times, what we fear in change ( uncertainties) never ever happen but when we face the fear of a change, we grow and develop physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually.

Change is inevitable. Whether we want it or not, it comes anyway. It is life itself and life is simply changes through time. It is very vital for our growth. Some changes are initiated by us while some just come when we least expect and do not want it but whichever way it comes, we must learn to embrace them and use them towards our advantage by seeing and making use of the positive side of every change. From childhood to adulthood and then old age, we experience change. In our personal lives, businesses and career, changes still occur and they help us accomplish fixed goals. It is an important precursor to our growth and development. We only move to self actualization when we meet and face the challenge of a change.

Quote for the day - "Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be." Trey Anastasio

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