Aside from the major changes in my life, little changes have had an impact as well. I'm sure you're familiar with the pebble effect. You toss a stone into still water, and the effect is the ripples emanating from the point where the pebble hit. If you look at the cause of the ripples, it's the change that starts everything—the moment when the water moves from being still to being disturbed.
While I look at change as an opportunity, I'm also aware that it can bring loss. In many cases, it challenges me to step outside the comfort zone I strive so hard to create. When this happens, I have to adapt or find a way to rebuild the comfort zone. Change isn't always easy, and it doesn't always turn out the way I wish it would've have ended.
Part of any essential novel is character growth, or change. I think it's easier to plan change in my character's life than in my own. It's fun to see how she reacts. How does your character react when life changes? Does she curl up in a ball and hide out until she can process the new situation? Or does he kick a hole through the wall of his comfort zone and say, "Bring it on!"
What's your vote? Is change an opportunity or a loss?
I think I saw in a movie once a line about how life is just six or seven days that change everything. The rest of the time, we're going through the motions. I don't know if that's true or not...but change is a HUGE stressor when we're in it, but later becomes something we remember as one of the moments that define us.
ReplyDeleteI love change. In fact, I get bored easily if I do something for too long and need to change all the time. That's why I could never knit a sweater - I only do socks.
ReplyDeleteTerry Lynn--You cracked me up with the socks bit. So true! Life can get boring without change.
ReplyDeleteStephanie--It's easy to go through the motions, so that line actually makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI think almost every change brings both opportunity and loss. Think about that decision to have a baby. You get this great opportunity to experience motherhood and your child, but you also lose the independence and freedom of being just a couple. So I think that's why it's exciting and scary at the same time. Good luck with your family's changes.
ReplyDeleteChanges are opportunity if you look at them from that perspective. But then that applies to everything in life.
ReplyDeleteAs I get older, life changes are definitely harder. Ten years ago I was easily able to pack up a household and move with my husband to another city (sight unseen) with a toddler and not think twice. Today...well, I would still do it if I HAD to. But I wouldn't be nearly the Happy Camper I was back then.
ReplyDeleteBut I do love torturing my characters! They have all KINDS of monkey wrenches thrown into their plans. I actually kind of delight in it...
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Opportunity. Because even in loss change can birth growth that may never have been embraced before.
ReplyDeleteEverything about life is about becoming. Changing.
Change is always opportunity--even through loss. Eventually what we lose subsides and we see the positive effects of it in some way.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post.
Roni--Thanks for the well wishes. Having a baby is one of the most life-changing events I've gone through.
ReplyDeleteLost Wanderer--Life is about perspective. And so often we all have a different one.
Elizabeth--I can agree. Change gets harder the more time we've had to settle into one place. And I can agree with torturing my characters. I'm very glad my character is ficitional--otherwise she might try to kill me. :]
Tamika--Change usually does bring about growth of some type.
Sarah--Time does have a way of easing the loss. And it helps to find the positive things about change.
Hey, Tara!
ReplyDeleteChange is definitely an opportunity. I struggle with it in real life and am more ready to handle it with my characters. It's great though because one change can define a story. I like that.
Have a great weekend!
Opportunity! Change is often viewed as something that can bring on negative events, but for me, even the worst changes, loss of job, death etc. I find a way to make something out of it, whether I become stronger or learn something new about myself. I say Bring it on!!
ReplyDeleteMy hubs and I are going through some big decisions now that could bring about change. I'm excited for the change- he's scared. So really, it depends on who you are.
Good Post!
Kristen--You're right. One small change can restructure a novel. In real life it isn't usally so drastic, which is good.
ReplyDeleteErica--I hope your decisions work out for the best. I think hubbies can feel more pressure to support the family, which can make them a little more timid about change. But that's just my opinion.
Of course it's both. I suppose that's why it often invokes fear. You never really know what your going to end up with just that it will be different. I am like Terry Lynn, I like change and I get bored with sameness. It's one of the reasons I like the Pacific Northwest weather, it's always changing. It's why we wear Terry Lynn's socks with sandles. We never know what we're going to get so we come prepared. LOL
ReplyDeleteNo, I do not wear socks with sandles...not in public anyway. bwaaaahahaaa
So well said. It is always an opp but it can be so unsettling to go through. Best of luck xoxo
ReplyDeleteSC
For me, it totally depends on what kind of change it is. :)
ReplyDeleteLeSan--Growing up in Michigan, my friends and I went through a phase where we'd wear socks with sandals. That trend is up there with French-rolled jeans.
ReplyDeleteBeth--Thanks for the well wishes. It can be both.
Katie--It's definitely situational.
Creating change for my characters does cause some distress, especially if it's a big change that could take the story into a whirlwind. But for the most part, it is greeted with a "let's see what will happen" kind of attitude. In writing, it's easy to make those big changes for our characters, because we can always go back and edit or revise or delete. But in real life, we don't have that luxury. It's just a matter of having enough faith in yourself to be able to handle what will happen as a result of that change. I hope the change with your family will be something you can get through ok.
ReplyDeleteDawn--How different would life be if we could go back and edit? I know I'm the person I am today because of the choices I've made, and so I wouldn't necessarily want to change the past. But there are things that editing could help. :]
ReplyDeleteWell, it depends on what the change is. Usually good can come of anything. So that's me thinking positively, but I'm a crawl in the hole kind of gal who prefers everything remain constant. I wish you luck with the changes you are going through.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan. I'm trying to be positive, but crawling in a hole sounds appealing right now. :]
ReplyDeleteI think change is an opportunity, though sometimes scary. Sometimes I wish I could go back and redo things, but that would be dangerous, just think of all the good things we may have missed out on if we made changes.The ripple effect from the editing could cause both bad and good.
ReplyDeleteJanet--That's so true.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is such a tough question. I think change is both a loss and an opportunity. That's the thing with life. It never ends. Things don't get the closure they need. Which makes "change" a loss. At the same time, because "life goes on" you always have new opportunities on the horizon. So it can be both.
ReplyDeleteI see change as an opportunity. No matter how fearful, if trying to find the positive it can turn out for the better
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