By David Metzger
Change can be scary. In fact, many people will choose to endure an unpleasant present solely to avoid an unpredictable future. I notice this irrational resistance to change in myself all the time. I see it in my kids, my coworkers, and my partner, too. All of us, because we are human, will at some point attempt to avoid change. We are afraid of what it might bring or, sometimes, what it might not bring.
But what is this fear really about? And why does it grip all of us so consistently?
Thich Nhat Hanh once stated, “It is not impermanence [change] that makes us suffer. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent when they are not.”
What the revered Buddhist monk meant is that change will happen whether we like it or not. It is our stubborn denial of this inevitable truth that sometimes makes our lives suck. So, if change is indeed coming—and it is, all the time—what can we do for ourselves and for others to navigate it more gracefully?
The answer, of course, is that there are many ways to weather the changes we all must face in life. Whether you are the CEO of a company in flux or a parent trying to shepherd your family through a difficult week (or both), you too can flip the switch on the anxiety that change produces. You don’t even need to be a monk.
About the Author – David Metzger R.N.
Pediatric Oncology Nurse, Father, Author
David is a pediatric oncology nurse, father, and podcast host. In his recent book, Nurse Papa, David explores the illuminating intersection of his life as a dad and his role as a nurse caregiver for sick and dying children. In his writing, David hopes to bring insight to some of the common myths and quandaries of parenthood and provide some much-needed humor and humble awareness to the struggles of being a modern human.
