Welcome to The Dish where Drew DeMaree & guests serve up a healthy dose of reality each week.  This blog is about keeping it real ~ real challenges, real distractions, real life getting in the way of, well…virtually everything.  How we view our realities depends on individual mindset, and we want to discuss WHY MINDSET MATTERS. 

I want to talk to you about an idea that many find terrifying – CHANGE

Honestly, I like the security of doing the same things repeatedly.  Yes, some consider this boring, wearing the same shirt and paints in different colors, driving the same roads daily, eating similar foods every week; this is definitely not a thrilling existence, but it is safe.  For me, change is not normal or easy.  However, I think about it often because I see those around me changing.

My 64 year old mother moved to a new city in a new state and started a new chapter in her life.  My operations manager sent her last child off to college and traded her west end suburban lifestyle for empty nesting in a modern condo in Charlotte. This made me wonder why 80% of people resist change and continue to live their lives essentially unchanged FOREVER.

There are 4 Phases of Change:

Resistance

Evidence Gathering

Indifference

Acceptance

Fear is the #1 reason why people are content; there is no crystal ball allowing us to see what’s on the other side, and most of us find comfort in knowing what to expect, right? So how do we cast aside our fear and navigate healthy changes?

In order to change your mindset and work toward making positive changes, try these things:

Consider Best/Worst Scenarios avoiding “Failure Fixation”

Evaluate Risks and Seek Sage Advice

Don’t Rush In, Take Small Steps

Allow Excitement to Trump Fear

Because on the other side of change are opportunities, new ideas and new relationships; seeking to enhance your current lifestyle is healthy.  As we move through the stages of our lives, we must be willing to embrace change so that we can be fulfilled. As George Bernard Shaw said, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything,” and that’s why MINDSET MATTERS.