Ah, change. Even the most wanderlustful of individuals struggle with the idea of change. The very essence of change is something different. We are creatures of habit, so “different” can be a fear word. But, I’m going to lay down why you don’t need to fear it because, whether you like it or not, change is inevitable.

Acknowledge that nothing is permanent.

Yes, someone once told me to start with the hard things first. The only thing that’s permanent in life is death (it’s gruesome, I know). If you reflect back on 10 years ago, how has your life changed? What challenges did you overcome? What joys walked into your life? What situation went well when you thought it was going to get ugly? By acknowledging all the change you’ve already experienced, you can start to view the change you’re going to experience as not so scary after all.

Learn what you do and don’t have control over.

I’m going to be upfront with you: you have way less control than you think you do. You can’t control the outcome. You can’t control time. You can’t control other peoples’ reactions (as much as you want to, you can’t).

Let go or get dragged. Yes, it’s frightening not having control on the outcomes, especially if the investment is big. However, view this as an opportunity to test drive a new mindset: a childlike mindset where each new turn is a new adventure.

Focus your energy on how you can turn the situation in your favor.

Usually, most changes, especially the major ones, can make the positives seem minuscule, leaving the negatives glaring at you. Who wants to embrace change when it looks like a 12-foot cactus? Not it. Instead of honing in on how everything can (and will, because you’re the next great prophet) go wrong, spend your energy on action. You know what you need to do work this in your favor. Is there something new in the situation that will make it exciting? What wrong turn can actually work to your advantage? What angle have you not looked at yet?

Take some time to mentally sort this out and leave your anxiety at the door. Don’t be afraid to get creative with it. Turning difficult situations into a fun game of exploration is one of the secrets to joy. So, don’t rob yourself of joy by not giving it a chance.