Most people shiver when the winds of change blow their way. They are blinded by the strong winds hitting their face and making their eyes water and sting, knowing that things are shifting, it just can't be good! The comfort zone is going to be invaded and it won't be pretty! They can't see that the winds of change also bring along with them new opportunity, chances to grow, to heal, to face challenges. Yes, these things can be scary but what a gift they are!

How do you react to change? Do you welcome change, or dread it? The truth is, the only thing constant in life is change! Change is all around us, at every moment in the day, from our body cells constantly rejuvenating themselves, to nature's constant flow, to our thoughts, and so on. We are constantly changing...changing our minds, changing our clothes, changing hopefully for the better.

So what is the big deal? If we are constantly changing, it should be a normal state for us. Yet something in our minds tricks us into believing that we are standing still. That we have found ourselves a comfortable little niche and we can tuck ourselves away from those big scary winds. Not so! There is no comfortable little niche! It's a trick of the mind. That comfort zone you say you've got yourself in? You know, the one that you find so hard to step out of? It doesn't exist. Well, it does exist, but not in the way you think it does. Inside that comfort zone is...you guessed it. Constant change! So now what? We need to reframe our thinking and acknowledge the truth that we have been comfortable all along with change! Betcha' didn't see that one coming!

Now what do we have to say about the fear of change? We now realize that we have been changing all along and that we have even been comfortable with it! It's insanity! So where is the fear and the discomfort? If it is not outside of the comfort zone, dwelling in the dark and mysterious land of change as we once thought, then where is it? I'll tell you exactly where it is, it is lurking around in the darkest corners of our mind. That placement gives us a big gift. It gives us the gift of control! If that fear and discomfort is indeed inside our minds, then that means we have total control over it! Yes, the fear is a choice we have made! Let's take a look at our choices in the instance of change.

Have you ever tried walking against a strong wind? It's difficult isn't it? Leaning forward with your head down, taking long steps to push yourself forward. It's exhausting! It's the very same when you try to fight the winds of change. You are going to put in a lot of effort, exhaust yourself and move very slowly, or maybe not at all! You are going to get stressed out, start to believe you cannot handle it, and start to freak out! This is a welcome arena for fear and it will move right in, probably bringing it's in laws right along with it!

Now how about walking with the wind at your back, flowing together in the same direction? Ahhh, it almost carries you doesn't it? You are light as a feather as the wind guides you along, and really, you walk much faster than normal because you have such an amazing force of nature helping you along! If you let go of your resistance to the winds of change, and instead, flow with them, they will carry you, support you, if you only let them. As you discovered in your comfort zone, when you don't fight change, and instead accept it as a normal flow of life, then everything will fall into place. With everything falling into place, there is no room for fear or any of fear's relatives to move in!

Change can be empowering, indeed in the end it nearly always is. Change never comes without a challenge and it never comes without a gift. Learn to look at change as both a challenge and a gift, (as well as a natural constant part of life) and allow the winds to carry you. You will find that your time in the winds is much smoother, quicker and when they die down, you will see the gifts they have left gracing your life.