As this school year wraps up and our Sabercats embrace the summer breeze with open arms, many of our Seniors are already reminiscing on the days where we just had plain ol’ fun. But, whether we like it or not welcoming change is a big part of life and dismissing any form of change can put a drag on your happiness. As the wise Buddha once said, ““The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

             However, change is difficult for people. For some of us, it’s pure laziness. But for others, we don’t like the lack of control or the uncertainty of worse outcomes, bruised egos, embarrassment or failing. And people don’t like losing very much. And if you don’t want to embrace the changes in your life and would rather live in the past, you’re going to be left behind. So, whether you are saying goodbye to high school on May 30th, saying hasta la vista to an ex, or you’re moving to another state you need to know how to adapt with new stages in life.

             Here are some ways you can learn to be comfortable with the discomfort of change and use change as a success tool.'

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- Check your ego

Most of the time the biggest roadblock to change is you. Often, there’s little downside other than facing your own bruised ego when you evaluate change. To counteract this, quiz yourself about the downside of pursuing change if it doesn’t work out. If the downside is primarily concern about failure or people pointing and laughing at you, it’s time to get over it.

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-Ignore your inner reptile

There’s a part of the human mind that is often referred to as the “lizard brain,” because it existed in even the earliest land animals. The lizard brain is concerned with survival; it likes the tried and true, so it’s likely to pipe up right now, flooding you with adrenaline warnings of “Danger!” as you veer off course. This was a handy function to have when deviating from the familiar path to the watering hole may have led to an encounter with a saber-toothed tiger. But in the modern world it’s like a misfiring car alarm: pointless and annoying.

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- Learn to live with uncertainty

Zen practitioners cultivate the “don’t know” mind; they work to assume they don’t know anything and in that way see the world fresh. This is a great way to approach change―as an opportunity to start anew, to consider all possibilities. Ask naive, wide-eyed questions of anyone who is doing anything you might be interested in trying. Listen seriously to arguments you might once have dismissed.