Welcome to the Wednesday Coffee Hour here at Street Prophets. This is an open thread where we can talk about what's going on in our worlds. Everyone is welcome to discuss all topics of conversation, to post photos, and answer that eternal question: "What's for supper tonight?"
The department I work in has been undergoing some reorganization for the past few years.This past summer my coworkers and I attended a workshop designed to help people overcome the stress of adjusting to change. Much of the exercise involved discussing some of the unexpected, unwelcome changes that sometimes occur in the workplace (such as new management, change in policies or procedures, reorganization, etc.). As we talked about the things that prompt some people to resist change that might ultimately turn out to be positive, it occurred to me that I rarely see change as a bad thing. I am usually excited by the prospect of change. At work, I am not afraid of trying new ways to do things, especially when it comes to technology. I have always embraced the opportunity to learn new things especially if it's going to save me time and trouble in the long run. In fact, I am usually the one trying to find ways to encourage my coworkers to upgrade old processes. But even so, much of what the workshop facilitator said resonated with me with regard to making changes in my personal life. She talked about how we often cling to things that somehow "define" us -- sometimes for years. But even though the workshop made me think about some of the ways in which I have a hard time of letting go of things that no longer serve me, I didn't really dwell on it too much afterwards and didn't really expect to do anything about it.
A few weeks after the workshop, I went to get my hair cut. I have been wearing my hair the same way pretty much since high school. Other than trying bangs every now and then and then letting them grow out, I haven't been that concerned with trying anything new. Because my hair was so long, the hairdresser seemed to be hesitant to snip off more than a couple of inches. As I tried to explain to the woman what I wanted, she showed me some pictures and I pointed to one that seemed to make her wince. She asked me if I'd ever worn my hair in a pixie before and I told her that I hadn't since high school. And then I felt compelled to reassure her not to worry and reminded her that it would eventually grow back out. When all was said and done, she actually ended up liking the haircut more than I think she expected to. I absolutely love it and still can't believe I hadn't done this much sooner. It's amazing how much time I save every morning getting ready for work. Not having to spend 30 minutes every day drying my hair is so nice and liberating. What's interesting is that ever since I got my hair cut I've had so many conversations with friends and with most of the women at work about how hard it is to try a new hairstyle after you've gotten used to wearing your hair the same way your whole adult life.
Stepping out of my comfort zone with regard to a hairstyle may not seem like such a big deal but that small step has then propelled me to consider making other necessary changes that I'd been dragging my feet about. I had been driving a car I bought 16 years ago and had steadfastly maintained that I would drive it until it stopped working altogether. But in the last couple of years whenever I've prepared to go anywhere further than 400 miles away, I've been worried even after taking the car in for a thorough checkup to make sure it could make the trip without any problems.
One of my sisters came to visit me over the holidays and she finally convinced me to go and look at some cars. I ended up getting a new one and it wasn't as huge a decision as I would have expected. I have very basic needs when it comes to cars. I don't really care about the color or any special extras. I basically just need something I can easily tow my dogs around in. But saying goodbye to my 16 year old Saturn was really hard. I ended up donating it rather than trading it in because I wanted someone besides a car dealership benefiting from the sale. I donated it to the Humane Society and the process could not have been easier and more convenient. The man who came to tow it away didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with me standing by the curb tearfully waving as my car moved down the street. It's moments like those that remind me just how hard it is for me to let some things go. As I stood watching my car disappearing down the street, I thought about how well that car had served me and all the good trips I'd made in it. I took good care of it, had it serviced regularly, and not once did it ever leave me stranded anywhere. I can't help but hope that it goes on to have a good life with someone else.
I feel as though I'm on a roll now, though. I'm excited about other possible changes out there waiting for me on the horizon.