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Old 06-26-2020, 11:46 AM
 
1,082 posts, read 565,173 times
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It's been said that many people dislike change. I think that's true, and yet I notice there are some people that can change major aspects of their lives as easily as flipping a light switch. I've always wondered what makes it so easy for this select few.

Consider, for example, the way people reacted to going into quarantine. Overnight, we were asked to give up our entire livelihood for an indefinite amount of time. Many people were angry, fearful, worried, and some became seriously depressed. And yet there were some who reacted like, "Stay home? Long term? No human contact outside of my household? Okay, great. I'm all over it."

Or maybe you and a friend share a longtime hobby/pastime that takes up a lot of your free time. Suddenly, the media reports a new development that poses a potential risk to one aspect of your hobby.

You: "I get it, and I'll be cautious, but this is my livelihood and I enjoy it. I'd miss it too much. Plus, what would I do with all the extra free time?"

Your friend: "A risk? No way. No chance. I suddenly have zero interest in doing this hobby ever again." And by next week, he suddenly has a new all-consuming hobby.

Maybe it's because I've always tended to get overly attached to the important things in my life that I have difficulty seeing how someone could make such radical decisions on the fly, even when circumstances dictate that the decisions make good sense.
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Old 07-01-2020, 10:06 PM
 
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I personally would say stability overall plays a big part in quick adaption as well as your personal outlook on change. I find change extremely stressful whereas a friend of mine finds it as a more "Life happens, no point in making a big deal out of it" thing. Also, there's other factors to consider - PTSD, depression, anxiety, etc make it much more difficult to step out of comfort whether it be by choice or not.
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Old 07-02-2020, 08:22 AM
 
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I think it’s personality. I also think people have varying degrees of anxiety, and sameness brings comfort. That’s how I am. I’m like Sheldon in that I sit in the same spot, use the same coffee mug, even eat the same things. I like structure and routines. I think it’s a combination of anxiety and OCD tendencies. My first reaction to change is almost always negative. If I walk into work and discover they changed the room around my first reaction will be “I hate this!” Even though I might like it better after I get used to it.

I was thinking about this just last night. I have a microwave hot pack I bring to bed with me every night, cause I’m cold when I first get in. Well the microwave broke yesterday so no hot pack. I’m in bed watching tv, whining to myself “I miss my hot pack!” And I thought “I am NOT going to do well in the apocolypse!”

My brother and my mother both have degrees of OCD, and anxiety.
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Old 07-02-2020, 09:00 AM
 
Location: State of Transition
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Some people have greater resilience than others. Those are the people, probably, who had plenty of parental support and love when growing up. Those who don't have those emotional resources to draw upon in challenging times, tend not to fare as well. Elizabeth Smart, after her kidnapping ordeal, said, it was the love of her family that saw her through. Others would have crumpled in that situation, requiring long treatment for PTSD, a shattered psyche.

I must say, however, that weathering the quarantine calmly depends in large part I think, on whether people are able to work from home (or are retired), vs. being cut off from a paycheck, with rent or mortgage to pay, and a family to support. I know some pretty calm people, who thought the whole virus thing was overblown at first, and did not rush out to horde groceries and supplies, who did get stressed out, when required to shut down their self-employment gig, whatever it was: private health care practice, small retail outlet, whatever. I don't blame them for getting stressed out.
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Old 07-02-2020, 12:26 PM
 
Location: Southwest Washington State
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I am married to a person who hates and resists change. I will adapt if I have to, or if I think a new behavior or gizmo will make my life easier.

I notice that he never adapts his actions to make things easier. He will continue to do the same things, drive the same routes, do the same keystrokes even though there are obviously easier ways to do those things.

From 50 years of observation I have concluded that he does not think the universe operates in an orderly way, and so he sticks to consistency to compensate. I tend to believe in an orderly universe, and so feel more free to try new things. That’s my take, which may or may not be accurate.

I also want to add that with his constancy and love, I feel personally very secure.
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Old 07-02-2020, 02:19 PM
 
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Adapting to change is a personality trait, but I don't think your example is correct. The whole quarantine thing doesn't really have to do with the change, but more with people's needs. I normally like change, because I get bored with routines and sometimes change things just for the sake of change, but I hated the quarantine. I'm too much of an extrovert, so I can't really be happy without social interractions. Every hobby I have also involves some kind of place or activity and mostly group activity, so basically everything I like to do was prohibited. The only thing left was going for a walk or a hike which technically was allowed, but government did everything to discourage you from doing so by blocking parking lots and having cops everywhere watching you and making sure you don't stop for too long or sit on a bench. I also work freelance, so I don't really have a workplace that I go to where I hate my boss and all my coworkers and just can't wait to go home. But if someone is more of an introvert, I'm sure they are happy with the lockdown, so they don't have to go to the office that they hate, they can have more me time and not be forced into social interactions by family and friends. I'm sure people who have some quiet hobby they can do at home such as painting, gardening or writing music are pretty happy with it, cause now they have more time. So this is not about liking or disliking the change, it's about the change itself having positive or negative impact on your life. Not all change is good change and it maybe good for some people but not for everyone
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Old 07-02-2020, 03:19 PM
 
Location: Germany
716 posts, read 421,130 times
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I'd say it is highly relative. You are thinking of a very specific situation. Adaptation to change happens every day.

In your quarantine example, the person who changes a hobby instantly seems to adapt well to the new situation(corona).
But on the other hand, the person who is able to keep his current hobby without being affected by the new circumstances also shows good adaptation skills.

In the end I think human nature is all about adapting to new situations and environments. Our base character stays the same - the human part that makes us who we are, but we evolve it based on our experiences. At least that's my opinion :P
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Old 07-02-2020, 10:26 PM
 
4,078 posts, read 5,390,435 times
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I think some people like to go-with-the-flow more have an easier time adapting, and in fact, LOVE change.


Some people are more routine. They get rigid as they get older. And some people don't.


Perhaps it has something to do with how they were raised?


Parents who are rigid seem to produce very rigid children. And then you get the blacksheeps!!
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Old 07-03-2020, 02:56 AM
 
Location: A State of Mind
6,612 posts, read 3,640,420 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by michael917 View Post
It's been said that many people dislike change. I think that's true, and yet I notice there are some people that can change major aspects of their lives as easily as flipping a light switch. I've always wondered what makes it so easy for this select few.

Consider, for example, the way people reacted to going into quarantine. Overnight, we were asked to give up our entire livelihood for an indefinite amount of time. Many people were angry, fearful, worried, and some became seriously depressed. And yet there were some who reacted like, "Stay home? Long term? No human contact outside of my household? Okay, great. I'm all over it."

Or maybe you and a friend share a longtime hobby/pastime that takes up a lot of your free time. Suddenly, the media reports a new development that poses a potential risk to one aspect of your hobby.

You: "I get it, and I'll be cautious, but this is my livelihood and I enjoy it. I'd miss it too much. Plus, what would I do with all the extra free time?"

Your friend: "A risk? No way. No chance. I suddenly have zero interest in doing this hobby ever again." And by next week, he suddenly has a new all-consuming hobby.

Maybe it's because I've always tended to get overly attached to the important things in my life that I have difficulty seeing how someone could make such radical decisions on the fly, even when circumstances dictate that the decisions make good sense.
I think really, there exists different personalities, not being exactly the same. I recall feeling distressed when one might say "If ___ can do it, you can too" or those expecting another to "just snap out of" a mood. We're not all cut out the same, just as MBTI personality tests will show - 16 different personality outcomes, being more extroverted or introverted, for one thing. I find I don't "switch gears" easily, such as making snap decisions or if something was altered without my having a heads-up, needing a moment to process. Yet on the other hand, I might like spontaneity in some cases.

As far as the example given regarding being at home more, I had already been doing that being older and have always liked some time alone. HOWEVER, there is an extroverted side to me and if in public, will interact if having the chance. I do like to chat on the phone and have Zoom get-togethers with family. Why do you think I post on CD?

Some appear to have had a more difficult time with this current alteration and are always those wanting to be outdoors and more active, so it must be difficult. I imagine it depends upon circumstances and habits, age and such, besides personality.
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Old 07-03-2020, 06:25 AM
 
13,259 posts, read 8,350,535 times
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Years ago a co worker recommended the book, Who moved the cheese?".
After glancing thru it I realized I don't like inconsistency. I often welcome change in some ways....such as removing myself from some toxic people or circumstances. Or winning the lottery yup some change I eagerly embrace.
As someone who was bounced around alot in my formitable years....I HAD no choice but to adapt!
In counseling it was brought to my attention that I tend to adjust to the environment I am in. Sometimes it's the old...go with it ,don't fight the current.
Not in a passive way...more in a save some energy.

I could be wrong in my perspective, yet I tend to think a person who has endured, and perservered thru economic strife, inter relations challenges...gets to a point of...Hey! I made it thru THAT, so other things are gravy. The don't sweat the small stuff. And most things can be managed.
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