Let’s stop saying “change is hard.”
I think I am at war with quippy platitudes… and “change is hard” is next on my list. The problem with this saying isn’t that it is wrong. Of course change can be hard. The problem is that when we throw around this type of superficial language we might actually be putting up a barrier to our own success.
Think of the emotions tied to this sentiment. Fear? Anxiety? Disgust? Regret? Inadequacy? Failure?
When we activate those emotions we are probably going to act or behave in a way that blocks the change we are looking for because our language is providing additional emotional fuel for the part of us that is deciding to just stay where we are.
I would propose something like “change can be worth the effort.” This seems to be tied to feelings of hope, excitement, encouragement, and success. These emotions give energy to helpful actions and behaviors that will move us towards our goals.
Big changes or little changes happen in our lives all the time. We know they are hard… and maybe it is time we also acknowledge that these changes might be worth the effort.
