If It Ain’t Broke

My husband and I were driving on the highway in our 2007 Ford Sport Trac.
“Do you hear that?” he asked.
A moment later, I heard an unsettling sound coming from the truck. We were 90 minutes into a 120-minute trek with a full load.
“That doesn’t sound good,” I answered.
“It only happens when I step on the gas.”
I refrained from replying, “Then don’t do that.”
I heard it again and fully expected flames to come shooting out the back.

So starts the conversation we’ve had many times. Should we get a new truck? We love the Sport Trac. We bought it new and it’s the longest we’ve ever owned a vehicle. It’s a unique mix of a 4-door Ford Explorer SUV and a pickup truck with a shorter bed. Ford doesn’t make them anymore. We justify keeping it with finance logic: Long past car payments, even large repairs cost less than a new or reliable used vehicle. My husband likes the features. I know exactly how large a parking spot I can fit into. It’s already registered for all our parking permits.
We don’t want to change.

Change is rarely easy. It takes time. It requires effort. Change relies on trust.

Most people shy away from change – ranging from being slightly uncomfortable to downright frightened – even if it’s a positive change. We are afraid of losing control of something or someone with whom we’ve attained a level of comfort.

This phobia is called metathesiophobia. Most people suffer from the fear of change at some point. It’s normal. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to reduce how much or how often we experience it, especially when the fear stops you from moving forward in life.

“You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone,” wrote author Roy T. Bennett.

A common retort for resisting change is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
True. But you’re not fixing. You’re improving.
Positive change is going from the current state to an improved future state.

You can try one of many tactics to overcome your resistance to change. One way: start small. Making small changes can give you the confidence to make more or larger changes.

Order something different than your go-to dish at your favorite restaurant.
Drive a new way home.
Ask your manager for a different assignment than usual.
Wear a color not in your daily palette.
Watch a TV show, see a movie, or read a book that you’d never choose.
If you vacation in the same place, consider someplace new – even if just a different hotel.
Exchange a few pleasantries with someone you don’t know at a social or work event.

Did you survive without a panic attack, a reality of many who are paralyzed by the mere thought of change? If yes, give yourself credit for stepping outside of your comfort zone.

Give yourself time before taking another step, but trust the process.
Besides opening yourself up to new things that may lead to unique experiences, you’re strengthening your comfort with change. And doing it on your terms.

My best friend just started a new job where she knows no one. She has a lot of anxiety. She wanted to quit the first week, but she’s still there three weeks later. I know her fear is real, but I was surprised at her visceral dread of starting a new job. I reminded her of the enormous step she took years ago with three school age children to leave an unhealthy marriage and consequently had to get a job after years of not working outside the home. This recent change is comparatively minor. She admitted she hadn’t thought about that personal feat.

Remind yourself of past changes that have impacted your life positively. We don’t give ourselves nearly enough credit.

My vehicle change isn’t life altering. But it certainly could make us safer since in this case, it might be broke.😉 I am warming to the change, looking at options as a first step before the change is forced on us.