Albert Einstein once said that “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change”. Through the process of life, we all go through experiences that bring change into our lives or have the potential to change us. Whether it is a relationship, a new job, a big move, or another significant life altering event. It can be scary, but change is what helps us exist and what helps us grow. Change is what makes us who we are, but sometimes it can be very difficult to navigate or process.
Every year in baseball, players have to deal with the trade deadline and the possibility of having to change their life completely during the middle of a season. The 2020 deadline was no different and the Chicago Cubs decided to part ways with what was basically left from the 2016 World Series winning team. Anthony Rizzo spent almost 10 years with the Cubs and Kris Bryant spent his entire career with the Cubs. Both of them played a significant role in winning the first World Series in 108 years for Chicago. During the 2020 trade deadline, both Bryant and Rizzo were traded to new teams. Anthony Rizzo was traded to the New York Yankees and Kris Bryant was sent to the San Francisco Giants. The end of an era came and both Bryant and Rizzo stared significant change right in the face.
Change will always have its ups and downs. It is filled with all kinds of emotions. Happiness, sadness, fear, joy, etc. The key is to always embrace change. You can’t always predict the future, but you can learn to navigate different transitions in your life and become more resilient on those journeys.
The Ups
Change can bring new experiences and new moments of joy. It can also present the opportunity to reflect and remember the good times. After being traded, Rizzo said “It’s been the best 9 years, 10 years of my life here. The memories here will last forever and that is why I always cherished every moment”. Change brings you the opportunity to be thankful for the experiences you had. They always say that everything happens for a reason. That the experiences you have in life make you who you are. When change comes your way, there is this amazing opportunity to reflect on your past experiences, to show gratitude to all who helped you through those experiences, and to remember the good memories that you will always have.
Change also presents itself with a chance to start new experiences. Rizzo stated that “To go to another historic franchise like the Yankees, it is unbelievable… it’s going to be another special opportunity for me”. That is a key thing to remember when change happens. Sure, it might be scary, but it is also another opportunity to do something great somewhere new. In his first game with the Yankees, Rizzo went yard and you could see how amped up he was. As tough as the change was, he embraced it and kicked off his new opportunity with a bang.
The Downs
Change also brings moments of mixed joy and sadness. After Bryant was traded to the Giants, he was seen in the dugout smiling, but also shed tears as he realized his time with the Cubs was coming to an end. Along with the joy of change, sadness has a tendency to come as you start to remember all the good times you had and think about all the things that you are leaving.
Anxiety and stress can also creep up with change. The fear of the unknown and the moments you feel like you might not be in control can be exhausting. For Bryant and Rizzo, I am sure it was not knowing where they would be traded, where they would have to move their families, or what would be coming next. With rumors flying around at the trade deadline, it most likely just caused more confusion and anxiety trying to figure out if they were staying in Chicago or leaving.
Before being traded, Bryant was quoted as saying “Just trying to do my best to keep my focus where it needs to be, help whoever I can along the way here, and just take everything in stride, and whatever happens, happens… it’s out of my control”. That is another aspect to change to embrace. Focus on the things that you can control. During periods of change, there will always be things that you can control and aspects that you can’t. Spending time worrying about the aspects that you can’t control will just create more turmoil for you.
How to Embrace Change and Work Through the Transition
There are many ways we can embrace change and a recent article in SoulSALT runs through a few steps to help with the transition. I was really drawn to this list as they are all key to navigating your way through change:
- Take Risks: We all have a tendency to get buried into our comfort zones. The thought of doing something outside of it can be scary. A lot of times I find myself falling into this trap and then as soon as I do something new, I find out how much I love it and start to wonder why I was so scared of it. Not everything will work out, but you will be a better person for trying to tackle a new challenge.
- Have a Coach or Mentor: Sometimes we have the mentality that we need to do everything on our own or we will be thought of as weak. Never be scared to ask for help or guidance. There is a very good chance that whatever change you are going through, someone else has been through it. Their guidance may ease any burdens that come with the change journey you are on.
- Keep Creating: Being creative and innovative is a way to push through the fear of change. It may seem scary at times to pitch an idea to a boss or to come up with something for your team to help them be more competitive on the field, but don’t be afraid to speak up and share your innovative thoughts. It might be that your idea is what is needed.
- Keep Learning: Don’t ever stop learning. There is never a time where you will know everything there is to know. What you think is normal or the right way might not always be perfect. There are always opportunities to improve on your routines or your skill sets.
- Don’t Give Up – Persist!: When you get knocked down, get back up and try again. It is a statement as old as time, but it rings so true. Failure helps us become better people. We can learn from failure and figure out what not to do in our future experiences. Just because you fail, doesn’t mean you can’t learn what went wrong and go right back after that goal again and crush it. The key is to be patient with yourself.
- Pay Attention to Your Thoughts: Be aware of what your thoughts are in every single situation. Did you go 0 for 3 with three strikeouts? Think about what your thoughts were after that game. Note the moments you are critical of yourself and the moments that trigger self-criticism. As you start to note those moments and become more aware of them, find ways to supplement them with positive affirmation. Redirect those negative thoughts into something positive and useful.
