Whether change is positive or negative, for the better or for the worse, the result is the same. Both create a new situation which is certainly unfamiliar, and possibly scary. And both lead to a fear of the unknown, which leads to stress. We convince ourselves that we can avoid all this by resisting change or stopping it from happening. Anxiety About the Future Anxiety is not really about the present because we know what's happening at the moment.
Anxiety is about the future, and it invokes the past.
We remember similar situations that didn't work out, or what we went through the last time a change occurred. But then we wonder if we'll learn the new procedure, fit in with the new team, still be on board after the downsizing, or figure out the new networking system. Change automatically vaults us into the future - a place fraught with unanswered questions, unknown possibilities, and uncertain results. It is essential to recognize that concern, anxiety, resistance, and stress are normal reactions to change. We do not need to add judgment to an already tense situation.