No one can avoid change. It takes us into the unknown.

How many of us welcomed the idea of portable classrooms? But they’ve turned out to be well-furnished, air conditioned and spacious. Voluntary changes such as choosing an AP course or something as simple as trying out a new recipe can cause stress because we don’t want to fail. On the other hand, when life throws a curve ball with something as trivial as losing a favorite pencil to something as serious as losing a loved one, it forces a change in our life that causes anxiety and resentment. The best approach is to never fight change. Since change is inevitable, it would be prudent on our part to prepare ourselves well in advance. We must begin by understanding the mechanics of change.

Neural pathways in our brain are formed as a result of repetitive tasks. For example, every time we press on the brake at a red traffic light, we reinforce that particular neural pathway, and the task of braking at a red light becomes “hardwired.” Our behavioral response becomes automatic. Mentally speaking, repetitive tasks consume less energy and are comforting. They actually make us feel good. However, any change to these tasks disrupts the well-established neural pathway. Change stimulates the prefrontal cortex that is directly linked to the amygdala, which controls our basic instincts of fear. A change in routine tasks activates the fear circuitry in the brain. As a result, we feel fear and anxiety.

Having recently relocated to Orlando from New York, Athletic Director Steven Bluth and his entire family are dealing with a big change in their lives. Bluth’s all-time favorite quote— “Adversity introduces you to yourself”— is from Coach K at Duke University.  Bluth believes change creates adversity whether the change is positive or negative. A supportive environment and open communication can help make the transition easier. He believes sudden unexpected changes create confusion, while controlled changes are easy to rationalize and find solutions for. He further adds, that if you feel overwhelmed while facing adversity induced by a change, then you need to take a step-by-step approach.

The key to managing change is to adapt to it as quickly as possible. From Dr.John Kotter, emeritus professor at Harvard Business School, here are some things we can do to cope with change and embrace it wholeheartedly.

In our constantly changing lives, the evolutionary theory formulated by Charles Darwin in the 1800s still holds true: “It is not the strongest nor the most intelligent of the species that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

Below are some ways to cope with change.

Recognize that change is inevitable

Don’t try to run and hide from change. As our teachers change, we have to adapt to different teaching styles. There is no point getting frustrated over the different expectations of the new teacher.

Relax

Learn to relax. Stress is bad while dealing with change. There is no point fighting over change that is here to stay.

Adopt a thought process that supports

Negative thoughts block the creative process while positive thoughts construct bridges to possibilities. Instead of thinking that portable classrooms are time-out boxes built to alienate students from the rest of the school, we should focus on the big, swanky new building that will provide extra space for all of us.

Face your feelings

Move beyond the “Why me?” stage. Analyze what factors are causing the negative feelings and eliminate those.

For example, instead of fretting over the new braces, it would help to remind ourselves that those braces are not permanent fixtures and will come off in a couple of years leaving behind a dazzling, beautiful smile.

Set smart goals

Set small achievable goals that will help you adapt to the new change effortlessly.

Consider change as an opportunity rather than a challenge

Focus on the benefit every change brings along and make that into an opportunity. The iPhone 6 Plus monstrosity is difficult to handle at first. But, hey, thanks to the larger screen size, games, photos and videos look very impressive.