Everyone appreciates the fall: crisp air, colorful leaves, the soft crunch under your step. The refreshing beauty of fall is undeniable. The transition from the ninety degree, and humid, weather to the cool sixties and seventies is extremely needed. When we approach this change, we accept it with open arms, but when it comes to other changes we are widely apprehensive.  Why?

The brain views uncertain and new things as threats. Our brains are constantly making predictions and perceiving order; when our predictions are correct, the brain releases a hormone called dopamine. Dopamine can make you feel happy and elated, much like endorphins. On the other hand, anything unknown will cause the brain to send out frantic neural impulses that will disrupt your daily life and impede your decision making. Rather than making careful and rational decisions in your frontal lobe, your amygdala activity will increase causing you to act on impulse and emotions–which may not lead to the best outcome. What does this mean? When facing new situations that require decisions, make sure you don’t decide hastily and on impulse, rather, take time to think about it and surround yourself with those you trust and get their input.

Biologically, we may not like change, but there is no reason to fear it as we do for the scary Halloween movies. Perhaps we should approach our personal change from a new perspective. Change creates new and better things. Think of the leaves: look how absolutely beautiful they are when they change from green to deep reds, oranges, yellows, maroons, and purples. Change can lead to individuality. Change can lead to fulfillment. Change can lead to growth.

Unfortunately, we only have two options as–although some wish it weren’t–change is inevitable. The two options: resist or embrace change.

The first option not only stunts growth but will leave you defeated. We can’t resist change; it will only limit the great things that can unexpectedly come our way. On the other hand, change, if you master and accept it, is a great opportunity to grow and better yourself. Change stimulates growth; you will never get better if you chose to stay the same. You will not reach your potential without the challenges that come across your path.

Don’t be a passive victim to change. Take control of your situation and allow yourself to grow. It’s all about choice: will you choose to resist the changes in your life, or will you allow them to make you better? Will you take advantage of what life gives you, or stay stagnant in your defeat? We have to chose to overcome our fear. Choose to take a step into faith to see how you can turn the situation into your favor. We shy away from change too often, and the change could be the best thing that will ever happen to us!

Change does not always mean growth–but, still, that doesn’t make it a bad thing. Sometimes, in order to grow and survive, we have to let go of the bad parts of ourselves. Like how the trees drop their leaves to prepare for the winter, we have to get rid of the bad parts of ourselves to truly blossom and thrive. Allow your fears to fall away this autumn.

Don’t be so narrow-minded when faced with change. You never know what life has in store for you–this change can lead you down a great path that you never dreamt possible. Different doesn’t have to mean bad.

We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control our reaction. We have to take our lives into our own hands and work with change, not against it. Resisting the inevitable will get you nowhere. So, let’s embrace all of our changes like the way we embrace the changes of the seasons. Look for the beauty and the good in the situation, and fix the bad. We create and shape our lives based on what life gives us. Allow change to transform your life. Use the change to grow into who you want to become, and be open for how the change can mold you.

Let the change of the seasons and the changing of the leaves remind you that things need to change. Remember, we have the power to let our circumstances change us for the better. So this fall, embrace the changes around you, and enjoy the great things that you will create.