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Hi everyone,
I’ve always thought I would be one of those people who would sell my house and sail around the world on a whim, or move to India and shave my head, or live in every South African city for at least one year. It sounded romantic and adventurous and cool.
Turns out I am not romantic or adventurous or cool. I bloody hate change.
If I had my way (and if I were slightly less adjusted to this world), I’d probably still be living in the house I was born in.
As it is, I holiday at the same place every year, I’ve had the same hairstyle for the last 25 years (wow, that makes me feel so old) and I reread my favourite books at least once every two years.
When I first moved to Cape Town, the change made me so angsty that I couldn’t enjoy the scenery at all because I thought the mountain LOOMED over me.
The thing about change of course, is that it is inevitable.
You can do your best to try and keep things stable, but change will find you. You will lose friends, houses, lovers, cities… and some, you might miss for the rest of your life.
Your body will change, your mind will change, and sometimes even your heart will change – and by George, none of that is easy.
While there is some truth in the old adage of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” I think it’s way too reductionist.
Because face it, sometimes what doesn’t kill us leaves us physically and emotionally crippled and mere shadows of our former selves. This is why, if we’re going to talk clichés, I much prefer “the only way out is through”.
We’re living these lives, fraught with uncertainty and change and loss and there is nothing we can do about it. Things won’t stay the same.
Of course this is good news if you’re not in a very happy place at the moment. Just hang in there, you are not stuck. Change will come and find you.
And if you’re happy with your life right now? Live it NOW. Enjoy it NOW. Because you never know when it can all change.
What's the biggest change you've made in your life and how well did you adjust to making that change? Share your stories in the comment box below.
Love and scaredy pants,
I’ve always thought I would be one of those people who would sell my house and sail around the world on a whim, or move to India and shave my head, or live in every South African city for at least one year. It sounded romantic and adventurous and cool.
Turns out I am not romantic or adventurous or cool. I bloody hate change.
If I had my way (and if I were slightly less adjusted to this world), I’d probably still be living in the house I was born in.
As it is, I holiday at the same place every year, I’ve had the same hairstyle for the last 25 years (wow, that makes me feel so old) and I reread my favourite books at least once every two years.
When I first moved to Cape Town, the change made me so angsty that I couldn’t enjoy the scenery at all because I thought the mountain LOOMED over me.
The thing about change of course, is that it is inevitable.
You can do your best to try and keep things stable, but change will find you. You will lose friends, houses, lovers, cities… and some, you might miss for the rest of your life.
Your body will change, your mind will change, and sometimes even your heart will change – and by George, none of that is easy.
While there is some truth in the old adage of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” I think it’s way too reductionist.
Because face it, sometimes what doesn’t kill us leaves us physically and emotionally crippled and mere shadows of our former selves. This is why, if we’re going to talk clichés, I much prefer “the only way out is through”.
We’re living these lives, fraught with uncertainty and change and loss and there is nothing we can do about it. Things won’t stay the same.
Of course this is good news if you’re not in a very happy place at the moment. Just hang in there, you are not stuck. Change will come and find you.
And if you’re happy with your life right now? Live it NOW. Enjoy it NOW. Because you never know when it can all change.
What's the biggest change you've made in your life and how well did you adjust to making that change? Share your stories in the comment box below.
Love and scaredy pants,
