Change is a constant thing, and we should always be able to embrace positive transitions in our lives. However, sometimes people have a difficult time accepting change and transitions as they are unfamiliar with it. “Transitions and change are fundamental elements of our existence, whether they emerge in the form of good transitions like entering into a relationship, deepening intimacy with your partner, or getting married or more challenging changes such as a relationship ending or infidelity and the decision that’s required there. Yet, despite their inevitability, we often find these experiences challenging. Often our unresolved trauma impacts how we deal with challenging situations and how we navigate transitions. How deeply we hold onto what was and how profoundly we move into acceptance,” wrote Relationship Coach Stefanos.
Loss of familiarity: Human beings are wired to be creatures of habit, routine and mental maps of our environments. Any kind of change disrupts that habit, and we feel threatened. Hence, loss of familiarity resists changes.
Fear of the unknown: A change or a transition means getting to embrace the unknown till it becomes familiar. We sometimes fear the unknown and are not able to accept it with open arms.
Mental energy: Adjusting to change, or a new environment requires cognitive energy. We need to learn new skills or re-establish social dynamics. Sometimes we feel drained of the energy required to make changes happen smoothly.
Emotional attachment: Change often refers to leaving a place or a person we are deeply attached to., the grief and the nostalgia attached with the emotional connection that we have with the person, or the place often stops us from being happy about the change.
Fear of failure: The change also comes with the sense of failing in a new environment. The fear of the unknown added to the fear of failure acts as a catalyst for resistance to change or transitions.
