Life is constantly changing around us, in us, through us, and about us. Change, like death and taxes, seems to be one of the only constants in life. One of my favorite sayings is, “This too will come to pass.” Whenever a stressful situation arises in my life, I like to bring that mantra to mind.
Of course, when things are going great, I’d love to think the old maxim doesn’t hold true. Unfortunately, not the case. Dealing with the positive changes is usually easier than the negative changes, but all change brings new experiences and, thus, stress.
When you’re faced with a job loss or any negative change, view it as a new opportunity to take a new and exciting course in life. There is an old Taoist proverb which talks about changes in life:
An old man has a mare that one day escapes her corral. The old man’s neighbor says, “This is terrible.”
The old man replies, “Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Only time will tell.”
The next day the mare returns with a stallion and six other horses.
The neighbor says, “This is great news!”
The old man replies, “Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Only time will tell.”
The next day the older man’s son is trying to tame the stallion and is thrown off breaking his leg.
The neighbor says, “This is terrible.”
The old man replies, “Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Only time will tell.”
The next day the army comes into town and drafts all the young men into the army to fight for the emperor. The older man’s son is spared because he has a broken leg.
The neighbor says, “This is great news!”
The old man replies, “Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Only time will tell.”
The point of the story is everything in life changes. The best way to deal with change is to step out of your comfort zone. Try new things.
If you’ve lost your job, try taking some classes to learn a new skill. Or even apply for jobs with training in areas you’ve never experienced.
If a relationship has ended, work on discovering more about yourself. Take a trip by yourself; this will take you out of your comfort zone and force you to take stock of yourself.
The point is, stressful changes are times of growth and learning. Take full advantage of them because it will change.
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