1 + 2) The world is indeed ever-changing. No one can really predict just what the universe will toss your way at any given time, but, unfortunately, this unpredictability is a fact of life. My coping mechanisms to deal with change can vary drastically depending on whatever change has occurred within my life. Generally, I start by identifying the ‘change’ that is occurring and assessing if this change will have a positive or negative impact upon my life. I usually try to identify those impacts, and work out how I will deal with those impacts; whether it be by silently suffering through it (a rather unhealthy method, but only used with minor issues that can be dealt with on my own), seeking help and surrounding myself with a support group of friends and family that can aid me in getting through whatever it is that is causing me strife (if the issue cannot be dealt with on my own). I allow myself to come to terms with whatever it is that is distressing me, and permit myself time to process and consider any emotions that have awakened during this episode of my life. I then decide whether I wish to accept or reject the change, and how I’d go about doing that. Having a positive attitude and always ensuring that I’m planning ahead for the universal ‘just-in-case’ clause also helps.
3) The quote I most related to was by Sidney Altman, as shown below:
“You will have obstacles and problems in your lives, both professional and personal. That is not a statement of great pessimism. It is a statement about our days and how we live them. I would look forward to your stories 10 or 20 years from now and hearing, with some interest, the way in which you confronted new ideas, new individuals.”Sidney Altman, Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist, Memorial University
I related to this message because I found it to be relevant. It is not pessimistic to assume that one will encounter professional and personal issues in our lives at one point (and, most likely, more than one point) because, in all likelihood, these things will happen whether we’d like them to or not. All we can really do is prepare ourselves to the best of our abilities and equip ourselves with tools in which to utilize to help ourselves persevere and come out on the other side, for better or for worse. It is the things that challenge us that also help to define who we are.