Change is a strange thing. Sometimes it’s good, but sometimes it’s bad. Sometimes it’s easy, and sometimes change is hard. Recently, I added a new “sometimes” to the list: Sometimes I forget I changed at all.
The other day I was in one of the family Zoom calls that have become a part of daily life for so many people, including me. I was talking about a subject (that I’m not going into here) and shared a lot of what I knew with the others on the call. The discussion came to an end as they do, and we moved onto other topics.
After we hung up, my wife commented on how I used to hold the opposite belief of what I just talked about at length.
Whoa.
Honestly, it was an uncomfortable experience. I completely forgot about the change I’d undergone over the last 20 years or so.
To say it again, it was uncomfortable facing the idea that I once held a belief that is diametrically opposed to what I understand now. As I’m writing this well after the conversation, it’s making me feel uncomfortable all over again.
Change is a normal part of life, and in one way or another I occasionally encourage others to do it, given the “everyone has an opinion” information climate we live in now. This experience, though, has given me a renewed understanding about just how difficult that can be.
I have to remember this.
Yet There is Method 
Yeah, I notebooked not too long ago about a whole list of “I used to think, but now…” Change can be hard (and sometimes almost unnoticed). I love your meme- ask your doctor!
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Erika, you’re right–sometimes change is unnoticed! I suppose that’s a good thing; it’s a lot less painful. 🙂
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I was JUST going to say what Erika did! I actually have my students use the “I used to think, but now . . .” for reflection frequently. Perhaps I need to use it more for myself. Your bigger idea here, however, is that your wife had to tell you that you changed beccase you, yourself hadn’t recognized it over time. What were the slow drippings of what reshaped your perspective? Usually, our physical bodies feel cognitive dissonance when something contradicts our beliefs. Did this happen to you as a slow, daily encounter, so sneaky that you were not aware? This is just interesting fodder for pondering on, Tim.
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Shari, it is a lot to think about. This particular change is one that I underwent more than a decade ago. So long ago that, well, I’ve kind of forgotten about it. The recent dissonance was a reaction to the past belief. Definitely something to ponder!
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How much of the change comes from learning or experiencing something new? What causes one to change the way they think? Hmm….
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Learning and experience–yes!
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This makes me wonder about how much I have changed. I feel like I have had to change a lot in my profession, but I do not think about how much my beliefs may or may not have changed. This gives me something to ponder.
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Heather, it is something to think about, isn’t it?
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