When it comes to change, you can usually have self-initiated change and you can also have imposed change. Imposed change refers to the kind of change where usually we don’t have any control or very little control over. Let’s focus on imposed change because imposed change is usually the one that most people struggle with, particularly if it’s imposed on us and it’s not the kind of change that we desire or a kind of thing that we would ideally like to have happen in our lives. It is important for us to understand that a major part of dealing with imposed change is actually the mindset. I believe 70% of it is down to your mindset, the way you think and the remaining 30% or perhaps even less is actually down to the physical actions so it starts off over there, that’s where most people lose the battle. Most people lose their battle in their mind when it comes to change so when it comes to change, it’s important that we understand that the first factor for us to be able to embrace it effectively is avoiding being in denial.
Psychology today says the concept of being in denial is often used as a value judgment, referring to the notion that a person is avoiding or negating something in reality. In psychology as well, it is believed that people tend to use denial as a defense mechanism but it doesn’t usually yield to any positive impact in the medium to long term because the time is going to come where the denial is going to eventually catch up with you. In 1937, Anna Freud who was also a psychologist actually stated in the book ‘The ego and the mechanisms of Defense’ that denial may exist in our words, deeds or solely in our fantasy.
