Change. Our biggest fantasy; our biggest fear.
When it comes to improving our lives—in any area—looking for signs of progress is normal and totally makes sense. Especially if it’s something you are working hard to change, it’s probably going to be something you are watching closely. And your sense of satisfaction is informed by not just what happens, but how it matches your expectations and your vision of how things would go.
In a perfect world, change would be simple, quick, and be met with open arms in your life. We live in a culture where we are used to seeing neat “before and after” photos, but the reality is that change is often messy. It can throw off our equilibrium. It can feel unfamiliar, unknown, and daunting to a point where you may think you’re better off just sticking with the status quo. But as life calibrates to the change, a new and positive track can commence.
I once heard a nice metaphor for change: Eagles fly in upward spirals. So even though they may be moving in circles, they are actually going up. Working towards change can be the same way; feeling you’re just back where you started, but in actuality be moving upwards to clearer and sunnier skies.