In relation to his theory of the “Survival of the Fittest,” Charles Darwin indicated that – over time – it’s not the strongest or the most intelligent species who survive, but those who are most adaptable to change.
If one assumes that the concept is reasonably valid, logic would suggest that emotionally healthy individuals should embrace change – whether that change involves a new job or new tools or new ways of doing a job or meeting new people or starting a new relationship or involvement in a new organization or moving to a new community or country. Those types of changes can be really exciting.
Yet, many people – when facing a change – experience anxiety as the dominant emotion rather than excitement. Anxiety occurs when too much overthinking brings discomfort into the mix.
Discomfort is a part of the human experience, and may be a necessary part of some of the changes that one must address over the course of a lifetime. Becoming an adult and taking responsibility for ourselves is not always comfortable until we get the hang of it. In a similar vein, some of us are still more comfortable using a pen and paper rather than a computer – but that’s not nearly as efficient.
The fact that a situation is more comfortable than the alternative does not mean that discomfort should be avoided at all costs – especially if that discomfort is associated with the process of growth and change.
If Darwin was correct, the survivors and the thrivers will be those who are most adaptable to change, not necessarily those who choose to be the most comfortable.