If you live a certain way for a long season, say two to three years, it is easy for your brain to make patterns assuming that this is how your life will still look like in five or ten years in the future. The human heart likes calm and stability, which is how we’ve coined the phrase ‘comfort zone’. Unfortunately, we all have one.
I like to refer to this phenomena as a set of circumstances within which we’ve mastered how to survive well, whether it’s, for example, relying on having all the same people continually being involved in our lives or sticking to one job forever. A fantasy, for sure! If you’re above 20, you’ve definitely seen and experienced that change is inevitable [insert Thanos voice here] by now, though we still choose to trick ourselves, clinging to every bit of safety we can squeeze from our current environment.
It’s human nature to want to feel safe, I think, and change brings a lot of unanswered questions and unknowns with it that may disturb that. Although, there is an exception I’ve realised, and it’s a rare breed of people who have learned to embrace change without losing their peace. What holds their puzzle together is this faith that no matter what comes their way, they remain unshaken about who they are and who they belong to. Instead of circumstances that change, that faith is their source of comfort. In fact, they welcome change with a courageous heart, anticipating adventure.
Identity plays a huge role in this equation. It is not everyday that you meet people who are sure of themselves and what they stand for. But when you do, you can immediately tell they are genuine people and you really want to keep them around. And I don’t mean confident in a cocky way (of course, that would be a great turnoff..) but confident, as in settled, rested, happy, not trying to prove anything.
Belonging is also a really significant key. Many of them, at least in my experience, have a deep connection with their Creator, along with fulfilling relationships in their life, whether in terms of close family bonds, great friendships or being surrounded by a loving community. They know who they belong to. They feel backed up. They understand that they are never actually alone, and that in itself, erases so many of the common fears everyone else experiences on a daily basis.
In the current state of the world, I believe we could all use a bit more of that pixie dust.
