Train your brain to accept change.
Training your brain to accept change: According to Neuroscience.
Learning to be comfortable with change is crucial, especially today when new technologies and ways of working are constantly emerging. Even though we might want to embrace change, often it feels tough. Why? Because our brains naturally prefer what's familiar.
From the start, our brains are like sponges, soaking up information about what keeps us safe and what doesn't. This helps us quickly make decisions based on past experiences. But it also means we get stuck in our ways, finding it hard to welcome anything new.
Think of your brain as a neatly organised drawer. When a new item comes along, fitting it in requires rearrangement, which can feel awkward and uncomfortable.
Yet, embracing change is key to keeping our minds sharp and adaptable. By pushing ourselves to try new things, we're not just learning, we're also keeping our brains flexible and young. In our rapidly changing world, staying stuck in old ways isn't an option.
So, how do we start welcoming change?
It begins with small, manageable steps. But you know that right?
Before you are faced with complex and rapid change, start to train your brain to embrace it. For example, someone working with numbers all day might try painting. This new hobby doesn't just add creativity to their life, it also builds new brain connections. This makes it easier to adapt to future changes. If your daily routine is mostly sedentary, consider signing up for a dance class or joining a local hiking group. This will introduce your brain and body to a completely new set of challenges and stimuli.
While you can choose to form new pathways in your brain, be mindful that your brain is fantastic at choosing an easy path. It can often try to conserve fuel and stay in the safety net of your comfort zone. Evidence of this is when you feel like giving up because the change is getting too hard. To mitigate this, set a goal and action steps to keep yourself on track. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Change takes effort.
Trying new things and seeing that you can succeed, despite a few bumps along the way, shows you that you’re capable of more than you thought.
Remember the change curve.
The Change Curve, a model rooted in the stages of grief identified by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, illustrates the emotional journey we navigate in response to change: from shock and denial, through frustration and depression, towards experimentation, decision-making, and integration.
Many of us have seen this graphic at some stage in our career, yet it is easily forgotten. Identifying which phase you are in will help you work out your action plan to move toward acceptance.
Final Word.
Training your brain to embrace change is a journey of intentional practice and mindfulness, preparing you to adapt to a world where change is constant.
By understanding your emotional responses through the Change Curve and taking proactive steps toward new experiences, change goes from feeling like a challenge to being a catalyst for growth and learning. This opens doors to endless possibilities for personal and professional development.
