Change is a Vegetable

Change is a lot like a vegetable. At least, it seems like it to me. I swear I tried to come up with a better way to start this post and a better title. I tried to be clever and witty but thought to myself “keep it simple, stupid”, so here we are. Change is a lot like a vegetable. Let me explain.

When kids are growing up they are always encouraged to eat their vegetables. They will make you big and strong, they’re good for you, they’ll make you healthy. All of it told to us and all of it true. Vegetables are something that is very good for us. Vegetables are something that is needed. Vegetables are something, apart from some outliers, a lot of us don’t like. Vegetables are something, apart from some outliers, a lot of us avoid. Personally, I hated vegetables growing up. I wouldn’t eat them no matter what I was told. I would pick around them on my plates until it got to the point where my mom just gave up on making sure I had them on my plate. The funny thing is though, which I didn’t realize was odd until later on, is that if the vegetables were mixed with something I would eat them. Chicken pot pie, soup, stew, anything like that. If the vegetables were a part of the meal then I would eat them, but if they were just piled on my plate by themselves then I wouldn’t even give them a second thought. It wasn’t until much later when I learned how to cook that I realized what the issue was. It wasn’t that I didn’t like vegetables. It wasn’t even that vegetables tasted bad. It was because they weren’t cooked properly. They weren’t being prepared properly. They were just being boiled or steamed and then I was told to eat them because I was supposed to. There wasn’t any salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, or any seasoning. There wasn’t any diversity in how they were being cooked like roasting, sauteing, or anything. I knew I should eat them and I knew I needed to, but I didn't want to and always thought it was a me problem. I thought it was because I didn’t like them. That wasn’t the case however. It was because they weren't properly prepared how they should be so that I can enjoy them.

This is where the vegetable/change connection starts to kick in. Change is something that is inevitable. Change is something that can be very good for us. Change is something that is needed. Change is something that, apart from some outliers, a lot of us don’t like. Change is something, apart from some outliers, a lot of us can’t process. Change is something, apart from some outliers, a lot of us try to avoid. Personally, I never liked change. Change scared me. Change gave me anxiety. Whether it was change from a good moment or a bad moment, change always scared me. I think change scares most of us. It is the fear of the unknown. Fear of the lack of control. Fear of the not knowing. I always thought it was a me problem. I always thought it was because I, personally, couldn’t handle change. When I ran into other people who felt the same way, I just thought we were people who didn’t know how to handle change. I don’t think that is the case anymore, however. I don’t think it’s because I’m a person who can’t handle change, but rather I’m a person who wasn’t taught how to handle change. How to process it, how to think through it, how to navigate it, how to prepare for it. I don’t think that is anyone's fault in particular because I don’t know if we, as a society, are taught how to handle change effectively. I don’t even know if there is a set formula or method to prepare someone for change. All I can say is I feel like I have a good grasp on what I need to do, personally, to prepare myself for the change that is inevitable. I need to have a firm foundation of who I am and what I like so that I always have that to fall back on. I need to have friends and family who know me and what I like to fall back on when I question myself. I need to remind myself that all things will pass (good or bad) and to live in the moment and not worry about when the change will happen. I need to journal and have a process to get my emotions/thoughts out so I can think and act clearly. I need to have people who I trust and can be with to guide me through my thoughts and emotions. I need to have confidence in myself that I will get through this in the best way that works for me. I need to have the guts and strength to take the step forward when that time comes and accept that when things are behind me then they are behind me and all that is left is what is ahead.

Change is scary. Change is anxiety inducing. Change is hard to deal with. Change is inevitable. My process for dealing with change works for me right now, but in ten years it may need to change. I have to accept and be ready for that because it is just a part of life. It is what makes us human. While I think everyone's process of preparing themselves and handling change is different and personalized for them, I do believe the first step is accepting the fact that change is going to happen. Whether you like it or not. Change is needed. Vegetables are needed. You cannot avoid them your whole life. It’s not that you don’t like them, it’s just a matter of not being properly prepared. So prepare yourself because change is coming.