What was the hardest, the most frightening, toughest change you had to endure? Have you ever given any thought? I think you did. We all do. Most people hate change. Some are inevitable, and some are the sum of our decisions. And how do you cope with the stress of this change? Frankly, it is a painful process to swallow.
I have lived in Ankara my entire life. And for the last 27 years, I didn't even leave my neighbourhood; only changing address’ two times with ten minutes driving distance. From 20 to 34, my father and I stayed together. When I married my wife, we had him stay with us. It felt right. It felt close to “home.”
First, he died. Quite fast, I must add. It rocked the boat for us. At the end of his days, my wife and I had decided that we would no longer stay in Ankara. Too many memories, both good and bad, to endure. We would either go to Canada for studying and for career planning, or we would relocate to some town near the Aegean shores. The second option was somewhat familiar. Same country, same rules. Then our Canada option opted in, and now, we are packing our bags for our move to Toronto. In about three weeks, we will be on a plane with our four cats, flying for a new future.
Now, my wife had lived outside of Ankara before. She even lived in other countries, but this is a first for me in every sense. Heck, I have never been on a plane with my pets before either. I am freaking out on so many levels that I start laughing after a while. Uncontrollable, somewhat hysteric laughs. The funny thing is; I am not afraid of how will I adapt to a different culture or the country. I am not too concerned about the financial side of things either. I was freaking out about my cats completing the journey safe and sound. Now, I think I am over that worry line as well. So, I am not worried about anything. However, I am also aware that my jaw tenses frequently, almost to the point of causing constant ache. So, the stress is apparently there, but is my brain shutting down the concern? I don’t know. Aikido is helping though. Both mentally and physically. And I know I must (and I want to) embrace change as it will evolve me, mature me and give me a better perspective on life.
This change is huge. It affects everything about me. My finances, my emotions, my network, my logistics. Therefore, the next two to three years will see certain setbacks in my productivity. Please bear with me.
So, what was the change that freaked you out the most? And how did you cope with it?