Change or Constant

I'm totally like the bolded statement.  My husband is the opposite - he's constant.  We keep each other challenged.  I'm guessing triathletes like change... hence 3 sports.  (Not trying to generalize anyone - just making a guess!)  I was bored with just running.  Then I was bored with tri's and did taekwondo.  Now I love strength training, and tri's, and running!

Even my work needs to be constantly dynamic on a daily basis.  At least I've been married 19 years and we've been together 25.  So I  guess I'm constant at something!

Andi

I enjoy the thrill of changes and the new experiences they bring.
But I despise "change" for change sake" without any real rhyme or reason.

If things are not dynamic I get bored VERY easily.  This is so true for me, too, as is the sentiment of never quite being content.  I love going different places, seeing different things, having new experiences. My brain truly craves it and I actually get cranky if I am in a rut of too much of the same ol' same ol'.  And I get very excited about the proposition of doing something different or out of the routine.  Unfortunately, my husband is of the 'no change' group which occasionally causes a few minor disagreements.

Wow, a bit surprised at the outcome of this poll considering that (in my experience) the population in general seems to dislike change.  I'm guessing it's the A type personality that tends to go with competitive endurance sports?

So how do you handle your "cravings for change"?  If left to my own devices I'd probably be switching jobs every 3-4 years, houses every 5, countries as often as possible.  Of course I'd probably be penniless too from the lack of stability...

The wife always asks how much longer she's got before I get tired of her...

I like the quote and figured it was from "Paint Your Wagon"

Many of us came to triathlon via "change" in our lives.  Look at the stories about smoking, weight loss, and general sedentary lifestyles many of us talk about and what you begin to see is this population is a bit "self-selecting" on the change front.  (Culturally, not much different than Americans being bigger risk-takers than others around the world because many of our ancestors took big risks to come to the new country rather than put up with the miserable conditions "back home.") 

I'm usually up for change and experiencing new things.  I'd rather seek out the local restaurant and risk a remarkably bad experience (rarely happens, btw) for the chance at a truly remarkable dinner.  I could go get the same predictable meal at an Applebee's in a Chicago suburb as I could get in New Orleans or LA...but...why??

I recently changed jobs and moved 1400 miles because I wasn't happy at work and I needed to make some changes (and with my youngest kids now out of high school, the time was right).  I could have stayed put, but would not have been particularly happy/fulfilled with that option.  I'm making some changes in my personal life as well, but not everything about me has to change and that's one of the keys to life...change what you can and accept what you can't...

another vote in the "change is good" camp, both my wife and I were raised in environments that taught us to adapt, discover, and sometimes just deal with change.  Both from military families moving on average every 3 years, country to country.

We are still that way today, we both get itchy feet if we're in a house for too long, in our 12 years together we have bought and sold 6 and rented 3 other houses, sometimes, a few streets away only, moved from Northern England to Southern England and back, moved the entire family to the USA, where we have moved home once already in the 2.5 years living here.  The kids are now getting into the age group that school stability really matters, and although our son is used to moving (6 homes in 8 years) we are not looking to move out of the area....maybe just buy a house and move out of the rented one :-)

I love change, in work or personal life, I feel like a lot of the time, change drives growth. 

A lot of friends live and love the stable(stagnant) life...each to their own, but I can't see that  for me....not yet....

ETA: I have now been with the same company for 6 years, which is pretty good for me, although I have changed roles and moved up that ladder so that's likely why I'm still here and loving it.

I wouldn't mind changing careers, changing locations, changing living conditions, selling everything and trying a different lifestyle.

But I also enjoy the stability of a job I know is not going anywhere, a nice house, and a decent car to drive. 

My wife is very much in need of stability. She didn't have any growing up so a sense of home and belonging is something that is new to her and is very important to her. She does talk about chucking it all and moving every now and then but I doubt she would ever do it.

I think we balance each other well. Little trips and weekend excursions seem to help me a lot. Just something to break things up and get me away from home for a weekend can go a long way toward my sanity.

I am always looking for the next thing. My current job, lasting 3 years so far, is an anamoly.   I look at real estate web sites constantly and I am booking several trips at the same time.  I also like trying new restaurants, etc.  I get my hair cut every 6 weeks so I can have a change in style, even if it doesn't need it.

I don't like at is as "unfulfilled" or "unhappy with my lot constantly", but rather I think I am flexible and interesting.   It's probably a mixture of both and maybe a little Type A.

My husband sticks to things.   If it weren't for him, I would probably be house hunting or have moved. I have ALWAYS wanted to move, but he moved to the city as a young adult and won't ever leave.  You make compromises.  He no longer looks at me cross eyed when I suggest buying a new piece of furniture when what I am replacing is only 5 years old.

Yeah, it can get a little expensive though

from a distance my life seems to be faily constant.  Lived in MA for over 20 years, work at the same site for 14 etc. 

But over the years, the actual "contents" of my life changed.  A lot.  Because I cannot stand to be doing the same thing voer and over again.  I don't want to even eat the same breakfast 3 days in a row!  I work in different departments and under various different managers.  I explore different career paths.  I changed hobbies every few years.  I take classes to learn new and different things.  I even have to re-arrange the lay out of my furniture every now and then so that my home doesn't look the same all the time. 

Guess I like "change" better than being "constant".

On a micro level, I am very routine based.  I have my schedule that works and I don't like a lot of change.  On a macro level, I love change.  I have moved several times in my life...often to an area where I knew no one. 

I like to re-invent myself every 5-6 years.  Life is too short to be stuck in one particular cycle...even a good one.  I quit my 9-5 job 16-18 months ago and started my own business.  Tri Take Me Away and I recently bought a 3 acre 'farm.'  I know nothing about farming, but 25 chickens arrive in about 3 weeks.  Time to learn and do something new. 

I typed up a long reply, but then I got a server error. That's the first time that has happened to me on BT, I think.

Anyway, I said that the more I think about, the less sure I am of what type of person I am. 

Immediately I responded with enjoying change. I thought this because I like new tools and new opportunities. I enjoy trying out the latest and greatest. I'm one of those people that thinks it's great when Facebook makes a change. I always can see why it's better and I like things to be fresh. I adapt well to change at work. I like working in a small flexible company. I like travelling to different places and when people ask me, "Would you go back?" I always say, "not soon/not likely" because although I may have enjoyed it immensely, I know that there are so many other things to see and do.

However, I thought about your moving example and I realized that I may be a more of a constant person. My SO likes to move and is always looking for a better apartment, better job, etc. I'm pretty satisfied with my life right now and don't want things to move too quickly. I'd like everything to remain as it is.

I like consistency. The predictable routines. The orderliness of it all. The mastery it allows.

Wait, I think I changed my mind. I like the change. The novelty of new things, the stimulation of new experiences, the use of alternate punction....

^^this^^ for me. I love to travel, try new foods, meet new people, and I have a compulsive need to get out of this godforsaken town every few months. But, I like my creature comforts. A warm bed, beer in the fridge, clean and hot water, time to train, that sort of thing. 

No fence sitting there partner.  Choose a side.

We all have qualities of both sides of the coin but I feel that most people exhibit more traits of one of the options than the other.  We all need some constants like knowing where we are going to sleep that night and that we have enough money in the bank account for food, however I see a big difference in people who are at the same company/job for 15+ years and those who are reinventing themselves every couple of years. 

One is not better than the other but they are two distinct personality traits.

My biggest issue is trying to find happiness in what I have.  I have a successful company, a nice home, a great wife and kids and live in a city that some people work their whole lives to move to.  I cannot rightfully complain about anything when there are so many others in the country who are unemployed or struggling to make ends meet.

However I find myself wanting to do something different.  I get bored easily and love it when a change or conflict arises that I have to deal with.  Trying to find contentment and satisfaction is something that comes hard to me.  And I'm not sure why.

I am a very constant person. I've always been a constant woman in my relationships - reliable, trustworthy, faithful, committed.

When I learn something new, I want to learn it well and master it. I want to be able to repeat the outcomes with consistency and predictability.

I like a routine; I'm very ineffective without a routine, especially with my work.

I like depth. I find it difficult to plumb depths while simultaneously flitting about seeking breadth.

I don't seek change for the sake of change. I have a curious mind and like to learn new things, but I don't equate that with change. While I think of myself as someone who can adapt to shifting situations, the truth is that I prefer to know where I fit into things. I need to know how my efforts effect the bottom line or the goal we are trying to reach; I need to know what I do matters. With organizational changes, if they don't make sense to me or if I don't see where my talents are being properly put to use, I find it difficult to buy in to the change. It's not the change that I mind, it's about 'Will this work?'

I am also a "Why not?" kind of person. Where some people will resist change - "Why?" - I tend to take a "Why not?" attitude. I consistently have this attitude when forming an opinion. If you can't present a case for why something cannot or should not be done, then you cannot sway me to your opinion. Gay marriage - why not? I have yet to hear a cogent, non-Constitution-violating  response.  Open carry - why not? I hate guns but my personal aversion doesn't form my opinion. Etc, etc, etc.

The one area that I don't mind change is my hobbies/sports. It's not that I need to change sports all the time. I just don't have enough time to do all the things that I like to do - read, swim, run, mountain bike, racquetball, golf, snow ski, water ski, and sail. Some things have to give. This year is the year I take up sailing. It is very time intensive, which means other hobbies have been dropped.

I am changing on a daily basis. My moods change, my emotions change. I've seen incredible changes in my body - and, sadly, the sharpness of my mind - during my 40s.  I accept these things. While I don't like change, in general, I also don't care to shake my fist at the moon or try to hold back the tide.

ETA: I am a Type A.

Point of order: typo correction.