Change isn't just about you

Some people aren't going to like the fact that you're changing.That's ok. It's not your responsibility to appease their idea of who you should be.

While change is truly the only constant, it’s also consistently uncomfortable. Not just for those going through it but for those around you as well.

Your change might provoke fear or anger in those around you. Fear that maybe you won’t want or need them in your life after your change. Anger that your change is a rejection of who they are.

You can’t control anyones reactions. And it’s not your responsibility to regulate their emotions.

While this isn’t a new message, where I believe many in the fitness or health fields get things wrong is how they recommend you deal with it.

The message is often,

“They’re just jealous”
“Screw the haters”
“You don’t need that in your life”

I’d argue that, rather than dismissing those you love outright, try to see things from their perspective. Assure them that your change is about you and not them. Just as you ask them to be nonjudgmental about your change, be nonjudgmental about their fear of your change.

Change is hard. On everyone involved. But support can often come from where you least expect it. And that can be the difference between lasting success and constant struggle.