Change isn't easy. As humans, we naturally lean toward what is familiar and comfortable. And the disruption of any kind of routine, whether conscious or subconscious, can be difficult, even when we think we're ready for it.
I go back and forth with the idea that everything happens for a reason -- not because I'm a cynic or because I'm not religious, but because I believe, to some extent, that we create our own destinies and that life consists of events and decisions that may or may not open doors to greater things in the future. While it is certainly a comforting thought that after a difficult change something amazing is going to happen later in life that completely justifies that difficult change, it doesn't always work out that way. Yes, good things can absolutely come from a bad situation, but it is setting yourself up for disappointment to automatically assume that something great is going to happen afterward to make up for it. The key is to learn to adjust and adapt and create those great things for yourself after a bad situation instead of relying on the universe to work everything out in your favor for you. Sometimes people make wrong decisions that affect you that don't necessarily always have a right counterpart.
I've never been one to fully welcome change. Depending on how drastic of a change it is and the extent to which I was prepared for it, the time it takes for me to adjust varies. I'm still learning. As a person who simultaneously hides her sentimentality and takes pride in being "emotionless," the juxtaposition of the two create an admittedly unhealthy way of coping when it comes to change. It leads to hiding intense feelings and attempting to adjust to things too quickly and too drastically to overcompensate. Understanding that sometimes the change you experience is not necessarily what should have happened is a hard pill to swallow, but it ultimately leads to an acceptance that allows you to focus on what you can do to grow from it. Letting go of what could have been, would have been, should have been or was is necessary, but it doesn't mean you have to forget it. Learning to embrace the change and see it as an opportunity to grow is a mentality that is hard to acquire but can lead to a fulfilling, self-actualizing and happy life experience.
Whichever kind of change you experience, it is up to you to create the good that can come from it, not search for it.
