Embracing Change, One Door at a Time

Moving house is often touted as one of life’s most stressful experiences, but for me, it became a helpful reminder of how easily we slip into routines and forget to question our surroundings.

As my husband and I settled into our new home, an old Victorian house filled with charm and quirks, we started to question the flow and functionality of the house. One of first tasks we identified was to change the direction in which a bathroom door swings open.

Three weeks in, I already fallen into a pattern and didn’t see anything wrong with opening the bathroom door to the right. My husband on the other hand spotted the opportunity and came to me to share his vision; “If the bathroom door swings to the left, it will open up the space, prevent blockages (like a bathtub), and even save us from the occasional bumping into the door”. Sounds logical and simple enough, right?

Yet, this simple change also revealed a deeper truth: we rarely question the status quo. Why? Because altering something—even as trivial as a door—requires time, effort, and a willingness to confront the messiness of change.

In our case, my husband Pete, took on the task of moving the hinges. As he worked, just like with most change initiatives, he came across an unexpected challenge: our door frame was not levelled, consequently leading to the door not shutting properly after moving the hinges to the other side.

Frustrated with the delay and disruption, we faced the dilemma of whether to revert to the old way or persist with the adjustment. Believing in the vision and accepting that the journey will be disruptive for a few more days, we decided to persist.

After painstakingly levelling the door to ensure it closed properly, our determination paid off and we managed to get the door to close perfectly, and we were thrilled with the results. Not only does the new configuration looks better, but it also created a safer environment, reducing the risk of accidental injury.

?However, what amused us the most was that when we approached the door, we automatically wanted to open it to the right. Even when the change occurred, we still had to work on our old habits, consciously adjusting our behaviour until the new routine was integrated.

This experience once again reminded me: change is everywhere, yet we often resist it. Yes, embracing change can be uncomfortable and inconvenient, and unexpected challenges will undoubtedly arise. But holding onto a vision of what could be is essential. It keeps us focused and motivated, even when the path forward feels daunting.

What’s more crucial is our tendency to accept things as they are. I’ve caught myself doing this countless times—settling into a routine without questioning whether it truly serves me. This move has encouraged me to step back and evaluate things more often. Do the other doors in our house open in the best direction? Do we even need all the doors? Are there other areas that need changing that I’ve overlooked?

So, as I write this, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect. It’s an invitation to not only rethink physical spaces but also to examine mental patterns, relationships, and habits. Are there areas in your life that deserve a fresh perspective?

Embrace the messiness of change. Rally support from those around you, visualise a better way forward, and take the plunge. The end result will be worth the effort, and who knows? You might just find yourself opening doors you never thought possible.

Albina Shashyna

Management Consultant at Q5 | Organisational Development, Culture and Change Specialist

Ps. I find it fascinating that the journey of change is very similar between a simple DIY task at home and big organisation wide change initiatives. It’s the scale, complexity and quantity of change initiatives that make it complicated and challenging for people.