Stepping out of our comfort zone and doing something new is risky. And we’re not usually quick to change until there’s compelling reasons to do so. And unfortunately, it’s often not until we hit rock bottom that we find the motivation to do something different.
If something is working then generally there’s no need to fix it. Of course, some people enjoy the thrill of constantly trying new things. But most of us are okay in sticking with the status quo, until we’re not.
Getting to this point of change is rarely easy or straightforward. What starts off as mild discontent is quickly dismissed and justified. Things have been good up to this point and surely they will be good again. And perhaps they will be. But we’re often more motivated to keep things the way they’ve always been rather than considering the possibility of something new.
And this continues until the pain of our discontent becomes greater than the comfort of the status quo. In short, we hit a rock bottom and we know something has to change.
Occasionally, our rock bottoms are dramatic. If we don’t change we will likely loose our job, our marriage, our family, and maybe even our very life.
But many times they’re more subtle. If we continue something inside of us dies and we’re no longer okay with this.
On the outside things might not look bad and people might wonder why change is even necessary. But internally we know something has to give and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to move toward this new reality.
Looking back, we might wonder why it took us so long to take this next step. And we might even be tempted to beat ourselves up for seemingly wasting so much time. But often we need the crucial mass that happens at rock bottom to give us the clarity and confidence needed to move forward in faith.
In the end, rock bottom doesn’t have to be a point of despair. Rather, it can be an ally that motivates you to finally make the changes needed throughout your life and relationships.
Photo by Sir Manuel on Unsplash
