When Change Knocks, Will You Open the Door?

Not long ago, while working out at my new fitness center, I ran into a familiar face from my old gym. His appearance told the story of someone who had faced tough challenges, yet I always made it a point to greet him with kindness. When I saw him again in this new setting, I asked how he was enjoying it. He told me he’d been banned from the previous gym because of how he dressed.

Wanting to encourage him, I bought him some new shoes and apparel. Days later, I was disappointed to see him not wearing them. His reason? He simply didn’t like change.

At first, I thought, Really? You haven’t even opened the gift? But then it struck me—he wasn’t ungrateful. He was simply comfortable with where he was, even if others thought he could do better.

Three Points on Change

1. Change Is Uncomfortable, Even When It’s Good
   Most of us resist change because it disrupts our comfort. New shoes, new routines, or even new opportunities require us to step into the unknown.

2. Change Requires Courage, Not Just Opportunity
   Encouragement is important, but at the end of the day, we must decide to take the first step ourselves. I learned this firsthand when I resisted switching from watercolor to acrylics—until courage finally outweighed fear.

3. Change Unlocks Growth We Can’t Yet See
   On the other side of discomfort is discovery. My journey into acrylics opened doors to larger canvases, richer colors, and new creative freedom. My only regret is that I didn’t take the step sooner.

The lesson isn’t about shoes or paint—it’s about the courage to take a step in a new direction. Sometimes encouragement comes as a gift from others, sometimes as a whisper inside ourselves. The question is, when change knocks, will we open the door?