I’m known for the quote above, and there are two ways that it has helped me frame “change” in a positive context.

1. Some change will come your way, and you need to see solutions where most will see obstacles. I heard this advice; you can “go” through it or “grow” through it.
2. The most important and meaningful “change” is often the one you can initiate yourself.

For the sake of this post, I am going to look at the second point.

This is hard advice for many, but I have given it often. When you are struggling at a job or don’t seem to get along with a boss, or you are unhappy with your position or role, sometimes the best thing to do is leave.  I will be honest that at certain points in my career, leaving was the best thing I had ever done. This was not because of any one person or “boss” but having a fresh start for myself and having the ability to start anew was a way to both refresh my attitude and reinvent myself.

Some people see this approach as “quitting,” but sometimes when we stay in less than ideal situations, we are sometimes just giving up on ourselves.  With every door that closes there is the opportunity for another to open.

I remind people of this all the time; a risk is taken sometimes in the things that you don’t do. We just don’t necessarily see it at the time.

For example, I woke up this morning and went for a run on a treadmill. At any point, I could have fallen and hurt myself. The risk is obvious, and I could have stayed safe in my bed for the same amount of time. The “risk” I am taking, which is not imminent, but still there, is the long term damage not exercising can have on my health.

We often have more control over our situations than we want to admit. You can wait for change to happen to you or you can make it happen yourself. Although the choice can be hard, we have to acknowledge that in some capacity, it is always there.