Challenged By Change?

How do you handle change? Some of us face it a lot, some of us not so much but it’s inevitable in all our lives. 

A recent occurrence caused me to consider things that help people handle change. It was the acquisition of an Instant Pot that stirred my psychological pondering. Yes, one of those electronic pressure cookers that everyone’s heard about by now. Considering the device, I realized I was about to introduce a new style of cooking into my bake-boil-fry repertoire. If I was going to elevate the device to prominence in my cooking routine and not just have it as a rarely used oddity residing on a pantry shelf, I was going to have to embrace change.

Considering this, it occurred to me that making this change successfully would involve the same requirements needed with making any kind of change, big or small. This awareness was made clear with the first step I had taken when acquiring this kitchen tool. I joined a Facebook page dedicated to its use. It was there I began to see that there were various responses to change among those acquiring an Instant Pot.

People would come in desperately afraid of the device. Now, these new electronic pots are far different from our grandmother’s versions of pressure cookers with frantic jiggling going on above a metal monster. There is almost zero chance it will result in the soup-on-the-ceiling horror stories residing in family histories. Despite this knowledge there were still some people who couldn’t seem to get horrible images out of their minds of catastrophic explosions. Many, though, had their fears quelled by the assurances of veteran pot users of daily ease of use with no peril to life or limb. This is where a first requirement for making successful change came to mind, seeking community.

When changing something in your life, seeking a larger community of others who have successfully made a similar change can offer comfort. Another helpful aspect of community is the ongoing advice and encouragement that can be had and guidance through the rough spots. I wasn’t afraid of the pot but learned much along the way watching the conversations and inquiring of others when I needed tips for using it. I wasn’t alone but amidst others who had integrated the pot into their cooking lives and used it daily. With other types of change there may be different ways of finding community, but it can clearly increase the likelihood of success.

A second requirement for making successful change that came to mind when bringing this kitchen device into my life was patience. It was clear watching the problems people brought into the online community that some lacked patience. One or two attempts at using the pot that didn’t go right for them or as they expected and they were angry, frustrated and throwing their hands up and the pot out. These people clearly lacked the patience needed for the initial learning required. With any change there will be a period of imperfection as one learns new processes and procedures. Patience is definitely required for making any type of change successfully.

Curiosity was a third requirement that came up when watching people try to make a change in their cooking styles with the Instant Pot. Those who seemed most successful were curious cooks. Many came in having expected the pot to merely speed up a job in their lives that they didn’t like doing. Yes, the pot mostly quickens cooking but not always and there are nuances to using it. Those expecting merely a magical speedy cooking process were frustrated there was more to the pot than just speeding things up. They weren’t curious about cooking and saw no broader or interesting uses for the pot. The pot can prepare anything from casseroles and curries to custard and cakes. The curious cooks were intrigued by its possibilities and eager to try different things. The pot more successfully became a part of their daily cooking.

New Instant Pots abound on Craigslist and Internet Buy/Sell/Free sites. I found a new one at half price and later gifted it when I found a better model for free. Many people thought they would use it, but that didn’t happen and it sat abandoned on that pantry shelf. Any change requires a psychological evolution that inevitably didn’t take place for them. Finding a community of other pot users could have offered encouragement and solutions for problems along the way. 

Nothing, not even use of an Instant Pot, goes perfectly in the beginning. Having patience; a willingness to work through initial glitches or put up with some imperfections when starting anything new is critical for succeeding. And, finally, being curious about all that the change can offer; enjoying and finding new ways it can enhance daily routines seems an important characteristic in having the change become a permanent part of life going forward.

Beyond leading the Writers Workshop at Wallingford Community Senior Center, Marilyn Michael has helped people make change for many years as a psychological professional. It’s a career hazard to see the psychology behind things, even acquisition of a kitchen device.