Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Why Change Can Feel Worse Before It Feels Better
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Why Change Can Feel Worse Before It Feels Better
If you’ve been asking yourself “Should I stay or should I go?” I created a short, free guide with three simple questions to help you get clarity — without pressure, guilt, or agenda.
👉 Download the guide here
Have you ever started making changes in your relationship — speaking up, setting boundaries, doing less — and thought, “Why does this feel worse?”
In this episode of A Better Relationship in 5 Minutes, I explain why personal growth often feels more uncomfortable before it feels better, and how your nervous system reacts when familiar patterns are disrupted.
In this episode, I talk about:
Why change can trigger anxiety, self-doubt, and discomfort
How the nervous system prioritizes predictability over happiness
Why familiarity can feel safer than healthier patterns
What happens when you stop overfunctioning or take responsibility for others’ emotions
The urge to retreat back to old habits — and why it’s so tempting
Why discomfort is often a sign that something is actually shifting
A powerful reframe to help you stay oriented toward growth instead of fear
This episode is especially for women who are trying to show up differently in their relationships and are questioning themselves because it feels harder — not easier — at first.
Key takeaway:
Discomfort doesn’t always mean you’re doing something wrong. Often, it means your system is recalibrating to a healthier way of being.
Follow the podcast for short, supportive episodes about relationships, the nervous system, past experiences, and how change actually works in real life.
View all episodes
By Karyn Spetz, LCSW, Certified Relationship CoachIf you’ve been asking yourself “Should I stay or should I go?” I created a short, free guide with three simple questions to help you get clarity — without pressure, guilt, or agenda.
👉 Download the guide here
Have you ever started making changes in your relationship — speaking up, setting boundaries, doing less — and thought, “Why does this feel worse?”
In this episode of A Better Relationship in 5 Minutes, I explain why personal growth often feels more uncomfortable before it feels better, and how your nervous system reacts when familiar patterns are disrupted.
In this episode, I talk about:
Why change can trigger anxiety, self-doubt, and discomfort
How the nervous system prioritizes predictability over happiness
Why familiarity can feel safer than healthier patterns
What happens when you stop overfunctioning or take responsibility for others’ emotions
The urge to retreat back to old habits — and why it’s so tempting
Why discomfort is often a sign that something is actually shifting
A powerful reframe to help you stay oriented toward growth instead of fear
This episode is especially for women who are trying to show up differently in their relationships and are questioning themselves because it feels harder — not easier — at first.
Key takeaway:
Discomfort doesn’t always mean you’re doing something wrong. Often, it means your system is recalibrating to a healthier way of being.
Follow the podcast for short, supportive episodes about relationships, the nervous system, past experiences, and how change actually works in real life.