As I embark on moving to a new office (one floor up from where I currently am), I began to think about change. As exciting as change can be, it can also feel really scary. When I started looking for new office space months ago, I knew all of the reasons I needed to make this change. I wanted to have more available appointment times for the people I work with, I wanted to have more flexibility in my schedule, and I wanted to have my own office that I could decorate that represented me and Serenity Solutions. At the same time, I worried. What if my clients don’t like the new office? What if I can’t manage the extra responsibilities and expenses?

Even when we are unhappy with our current circumstances and have ideas about how to make it better, we are used to the familiar, to what we know. This often leads us to fear change, even when it might be better than what we currently have. Our minds can become inundated with worst case scenarios. What if I don’t like it? What if something terrible happens? What if, what if, what if…?

These fearful thoughts can show up whether we are changing something small like our hairstyle to much larger things like changing how we cope with stress and sadness. In my work, I often hear people say that they are afraid of what will happen if they make changes. Sometimes they say it directly and sometimes, indirectly, through their actions, by not taking steps towards their stated goals. How do they get to the next step? They often have to recognize how their fearful thoughts are interfering with what they want and then bring those thoughts back to reality. Planning in advance can also help to calm any fears. Continuing to think the worst keeps us stuck in our current situation.

Have you found yourself wishing that things were different, but being focused on the perceived barriers to getting where you want to be? What things helped you finally take the leap and do something different? If you currently feel stuck, contact Serenity Solutions for the support you need to make the changes you want in your life.