Why Are You Afraid Of Change?

You will make many decisions in your life. They lead you along different paths. Behind these decisions, which are not always easy to make, lies change. Then fear appears. But why are you afraid of change? What is happening in you that scares and paralyzes you? In this article, we’ll talk about six possible causes.

Why are you afraid of change?

Behind your fear of change may be deeper fears. Fear of not being able to handle your new circumstances, or of not having the means to be happy again. You can also feel other emotions. For example, sadness about the feeling of loss or insecurity. If you want to understand what might be causing your fears, here are six possible explanations.

You don’t know how to deal with new or different situations

Not knowing how to handle a new situation is one of the possible reasons for fear of change. This is because what you don’t understand often scares you.

Change comes with a new reality. If you feel that you are not equipped to deal with it, you may become afraid. In fact, this is often due to a lack of confidence in your own abilities.

Change means loss

Loss is often behind change. Your new reality comes because the old one didn’t work or wasn’t what you wanted.

This means suffering a loss. For example, it can be from a loved one, a partner, a job or a house. With this loss, you begin to grieve. This process allows you to accept the loss and integrate it into your new reality.

Fear of being wrong

Fear of being wrong is another reason why you may be afraid of change. Change means a new phase, a reorganization of your circumstances, or an adjustment thereof.

Therefore, you may fear that the decisions you need to make may not be the “right ones.” On the other hand, change often happens because of decisions you have made. In this case, your fear may relate to the worry that these decisions were not ideal.

Resistance to letting go

Making a decision to change your life often involves letting go of other routes you could have taken. Of course this is not always easy.

A resistance to letting go or the feeling that you could have done things differently may explain why you fear change. It’s only natural. Plus, you might be one of the less flexible people who struggles with change.

Fear of criticism or rejection

You may be afraid of being criticized for the decision you have made. On the other hand, you may fear that you will be rejected on the new path you have chosen and that your loved ones will not support you.

Fear of rejection is often hidden behind fear of change. However, you have to choose from your own decisions what you want in life, because they lead somewhere. Fear leads nowhere.

have no control

When you change, you often experience a loss of control. Indeed, a new unknown reality is coming, and you may feel that you have lost control of the situation.

In general, people like to feel in control of their own destiny, even if this is a delusion in itself. Either way, you probably want to feel like you’re in control. For this reason, feeling that certain things no longer depend on you can upset you.

How to deal with the fear of change?

There is no magic formula for this. In addition, everyone’s situation is unique. However, some ideas can help you when you’re facing change and feeling anxious:

• Prepare mentally for the new situation. Take a moment to visualize it.
• Ask yourself what you need, both emotionally and materially.
• Trust your personal resources and coping strategies.
• If you have lost something, allow yourself to grieve.
• Feel the fear. Don’t be afraid of it. Talk to it and try to find meaning in it.
• Focus on your new reality.

There will always be changes in your life. For this reason, it is important to be aware of the fear you might be feeling and to give it space.

In fact, it is completely normal to be afraid of change. Indeed, sometimes it can really shake you up. However, you should always try to find meaning in the new reality you are facing.