Change and adversity go hand in hand. Change inevitably brings a measure of adversity, and adversity inevitably brings about change in one form or another. So with any change you can expect there will be challenges to face; they come with the package.

 

For example, I’ve had to change my diet to deal with chronic health issues. That has meant learning what kind of diet I need for my condition, how to prepare new foods, how to use diet to discover food sensitivities, and more. It’s been a challenge, but the benefits from making these changes include better sleep, more energy, healthier skin, better digestion, and better overall health. I’d say that’s more than a fair trade.

It's obvious to me that it’s a waste of time to try to change what’s beyond my control, or change things I don’t need to change. What I want are changes that will bring about the greatest gains with the least amount of investment. In my opinion that puts changes to my behavior as #1 on the list. 

 

Why? Because behavior is about individual choices and therefore what I have the most control over and can change to the greatest extent. How I treat others, my attitudes, my integrity, what I eat, how I manage my time, my work ethic, and my habits in general are all things that I have control over through my choices.

 

That means rather than chosing behavior like fretting about present challenges, I should instead choose to behave in a way that causes a positive reaction to adversity. I should choose to look for the opportunities in it, and choose to look forward to the future rewards that perseverance and discipline can bring.

 

If I’m up against something that seems overwhelming, I can choose to focus on how to make the first step. Then, I can focus on the next step, and with each step as the momentum builds and courage grows, I'll find myself closer and closer to the finish line where the rewards of victory await me. That’s better and much easier than thinking about all it will take to get to my final destination and possibly getting overwhelmed to the point of discouragement. 

 

I just have to make the decision and do it. That’s not to say that it’s always going to be easy, and that everything will always work out to my satisfaction. But I can make the positive choices if I really want to, and whatever the results I'm sure I will be better off in some way or another by doing so.

In pretty much every area that I've wanted to move forward in I've needed to embrace change. What I've learned from my experiences is that whatever changes I've made there were always nuggets of gold to be found in them. But it wasn't until I went to work searching with anticipation to uncover what laid underneath the surface that I was able to discover the treasures that awaited me.