The Positives of Unexpected Change

Change isn't universally recognised as a bad thing - but unexpected change often isn't met with open arms. Even though we might not be totally comfortable with it, the great unknown is much less scary than our minds make it out to be, and being thrust into a completely new situation without your say-so might be one of the best things to ever happen to you.

Build Resilience

The connotations of unexpected change suggest that it isn't always a good thing - yet even when the tide turns for the worse it can offer a treasure trove of growth. Being thrust into uncertain waters ignites a self-reliance in most of us, and a sudden need to get our shit together. When we make it out alive on the other end, we come out stronger, wiser, and more resilient the next time something comes at us out of the blue.

Learn More About Yourself

Being taken out of our routine means opening up to the possibility of exploring who we really are. The day-to-day often lulls us into a certain set of behaviours that are moulded by our surroundings - whether it's acting professional at work, or falling into a certain role at home. Change allows us to step up and outside of what we usually find ourselves doing, and can uncover hidden strengths, talents, as well as some weaknesses to work on - shaping the person we become in future.

Find New Opportunities

Opportunities are hard to come by when we're doing the same old same old. Most doors have been opened and explored, and a lack of change can mean complacency. Keeping our minds engaged throughout our lives is not only good for our mental wellbeing, but pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone (willingly or not) is guaranteed to present you with new opportunities. Daring to take a walk on the wild side could change your life...

Increase Your Focus

Because our minds are constantly seeking novelty, our focus is often shattered by pesky things like notifications or a bird sat on the windowsill. If we suddenly find ourselves in a novel situation because of unexpected change, our minds become fully focused on what we're doing in the moment.

Improve Your Memory

A change in routine stimulates our hippocampus - the area of the brain that generates long-term memory. You know how days slip by into weeks, which slip by into months when we're sat at our desks, day in, day out, yet a two week holiday can feel like two months? It's all to do with change - the more unexpected things there are for our brains to process, the more memories it makes, and the longer time feels. If you're worried about life slipping by, some unexpected change could be the best thing for it.

Final Note

There are times when unexpected change can be really rough. Losing a job or a breakup takes a huge toll on both our physical and mental wellbeing - but keeping both the present and future in perspective always helps. Thinking back to other obstacles you've overcome and making an effort to create a silver lining on every dark cloud will help you feel better in the long run, and helps all the exciting things the future holds come around a lot sooner.