I hate change...wait...what? Scratch that.

Change. How many people are like oooh I love change? I mean how many of you like to come home to find your furniture all rearranged or how about when your favorite bath soap is suddenly "new and improved" with a new smell that's not exactly as wonderfully fruity and clean smelling as before? I know I don't and I'm willing to bet that many of you feel the same way.

Today while I was off in class learning about how to be a better marketer, workers came to the house I live in and repainted all of the exterior doors white. Previously, these doors were a nice shade of brick-ish red. What was wrong with that color? It was comfortable. I've lived in this house for a year and a half why change it now? And I realized as I walked through the newly painted white door that I was upset. Over what? Some paint. What does that paint have to do with me? Does the fact that the door is white damage the function of the door? It still opens, closes, and locks which is the reason for having the door in the first place...so why am I mad that something- even something as small as the color- changed?

I've been mulling this fact over in my head all day and I've come to the conclusion that it's because it is something that was out of my usual routine. I mean couldn’t tell you how many times a day I go in and out of that door and every time that I went through that door it was the nice familiar comfortable shade it had always been until today. I felt like my personal space had been violated. Am I such a habitual creature that I can't even accept that minor changes like painting a door may in the long run lead to better things? Don't get me wrong. I'm not seriously bent out of shape about this door; I'm just using it to make a point. And the point is this: we have become so accustomed to the familiarity of everyday life that when minor changes happen we take it personally instead of realizing that our little world that we are so wrapped up in is only a small, tiny, piece of the real world.

There’s nothing wrong with routines. There’s nothing wrong with habits. Having routines helps us save time and be more efficient. I mean, think about your morning routine. What’s the first thing you do? Which hand do you squeeze the toothpaste with? What piece of clothes do you put on first? If you think about it you'll see that your routine is practically identical every day. I personally like that I do the same things in the morning. When the morning routine goes smoothly I feel as though that’s a good indication of how the rest of the day will pan out. You know what I’m talking about. it just seems like days when your hair falls just like it’s supposed to that that day is a little better than the days when you have Alfalfa hair.

In the world today however, things don't stay the same very long. I mean look back a few years and you'll see how rapidly technology has changed. The iphone came out and it was supposed to be the top of the line, best product out there and already we're on the iPhone 4. Computers have gotten even smaller with netbooks and iPads. How can we afford to stay within the comfort of our routines and habits when the world is forcing change down our throats at every turn? If we want to maintain any sense of competitive advantage we have to not only be open to change but to embrace it!

This isn't something that comes naturally to me. But hey- I’m working on my flexibility. Take my current situation for example. I'm looking for a job. I tell this to people and the question they always ask is "doing what?" My standard answer has become "Marketing communications of some sort." this answer is broad and includes a bunch of stuff that I find extremely fascinating but it also shows that I am open to the opportunities that may present themselves.

Flexibility and adaptability are two of the most important attributes of job seekers today. It's vital that I don't get caught up in the redundancy of the routine that I’ve created to make myself more comfortable. I have to be willing to step out of my comfort zone and be willing to try new things and accept new things so that I don't lose sight of my goals. I know that being comfortable is something that is often taken for granted, but right now is probably one of the only times that I can say that being a little uncomfortable is the best thing. Being unsure of what's coming is going to keep me on my toes. Hopefully it'll lead to a super awesome job in a great city. I'm keeping my options open and taking advantages of the opportunities that present themselves. I can't let a simple change in paint color make me lose sight of what's important.