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Hey there, friend.

Let’s talk about the fear of change. The kind that grips you tight when you know something new is on the horizon. This “something” could even be a good thing. Really good, even. But nonetheless, that familiar sense of anxiety takes over. You don’t want your life to change.

I know change is hard, even when good things are happening. Saying goodbye to certain phases of your life can feel like tiny heartbreaks, little endings you have to quickly mourn.

Many of us, including myself, are not even fully aware of just how traumatic change can be when it’s happening. It takes a toll, whether we are consciously aware of it or not.

This is a very small example, but a good one. I’ve been on plenty of planes in my life. I’ve traveled the world. And yet, every single time I get in the air and go somewhere new— no matter how calm and at peace I may be— I will always feel a little off for the next few days after I arrive somewhere new. Change, even when it feels easy, has an effect on the body, mind, and heart.

But change is not an inherently negative thing (even the bad kind of change). If there is one thing I know, all change makes us stronger. It sounds awfully cliche, but that’s because it’s true. Every change you survive, both good and bad, is one more step in the direction of your best self. This is how we grow. This is how we keep living.

If you are not actively changing, you are dying. Just look at nature. Everything is always moving, growing, fluctuating, ebbing, and flowing. If you don’t move in harmony with everything around you, you don’t continue. You must learn to adapt in order to thrive. Humanity can learn so much from nature.

So, take a moment to ask yourself a few questions:

How can I grow with the changes of my life? What am I pushing back against, and why? What am I welcoming into my life and accepting with an open heart? How can I move forward in harmony, without resistance?

Imagine, just for a moment, that you are standing on the edge of a large cliff. Behind you is the familiar: the routine that feels safe and good, for the most part. Ahead of you is a deep and beautiful ocean, full of potential and excitement and uncertainty. It’s tempting to step back, to retreat into your comfort zone. But what if you took a deep breath and leaped? What if you decided to take a chance on yourself?

Many of us choose not to leap. We take that step back, almost every day of our lives, in small and trivial moments. But these moments are neither small nor trivial. When you get in the habit of turning away because of fear, it becomes shockingly difficult to attract new experiences and growth into your life.

Those pesky negative voices in the back of your head start getting busy.

“What if I fail?”

“What if I make the wrong choice?”

“What if I get hurt?”

“What will other people think of me?”

“What if something bad happens?”

These thoughts can feel paralyzing at times, but you can silence them, if you want. You have the choice to begin telling a different story to yourself about who you are, one that is far more accurate at depicting your true capabilities.

It all starts with you. You can break the cycle, if you choose. You can say no to fear and yes to life.

Here’s where the magic happens: when you confront your fear instead of running from it, you give yourself the power to redefine what’s possible in your life.

Challenge yourself. The next time that familiar sense of fear takes over, ask yourself what it would mean to push through and do the scary thing anyway. What new and beautiful things could be waiting for you just beyond your comfort zone?

Yes, change can feel terrifying, but it can also be a miracle in disguise. Just because something feels bad in the moment doesn’t mean wonderful things aren’t happening for you.

Your discomfort is a sign that your life is growing and expanding, making room for new love and abundance.

Trust in your ability to navigate the unknown. Remember that you have everything it takes to create the life you want.

With gratitude,

📚 #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
🎧 Host of the On Purpose Podcast
🙏 Former Monk

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What you need to know today (to create a better tomorrow) ✨

• While we live, we all present different facets of ourselves to different people. Read this essay on how to find meaning when everything is power.

• Want real, actionable data about your body? Function is the tool that helps you understand what’s happening inside your body.

• Some emotions are contextual, stimulus-bound. Others are free-floating, with no obvious cause. The former are like internal warnings, friends with lessons tailored to the moment. This is a good piece reminding you not to think so much you don’t feel.

• We talk a lot about purpose here, there and everywhere. What if moved through life with a 1-of-1 purpose?

• Craig Mod is a prolific writer. Here’s 4. Try it yourself this week.

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