Aug 26, 2026 · 49 min · 11 segments
Claire is joined by Angeline Hennessey-Thompson, psychotherapist, author and founder of the Living Without Limits podcast. Together they explore the psychology of change: why we self-sabotage, why…
Angeline Hennessy-ThompsonGuest
Claire LockeyHost
Why do you think we find it such a difficult thing? Why do you think as humans we find change so difficult?
So we will always gravitate towards the certainty that where we can get certainty, we'll hold on to it.
And that's why some people stay stuck, sometimes in a job that they know that they're not really happy in.
And they kind of sometimes think that they would like to do something else, but the prospect of the change is too much.
It's really when I think that we all have a desire within us to grow.
And I think that that's why it doesn't feel good if we do stay stuck in the familiar.
You know, and it kind of speaks a little bit to abusive relationships as well.
I'm thinking as a kind of an example that when you're in the middle of it, it doesn't always seem as bad and there'll be good times within it as well there'll be a part of you that probably knows it's not great and part of you that wants something different similar to a career change or like I say any change of any description we are we sometimes are attracted to the familiar even if it's not good for us or it's not really ticking our boxes and growth feels good but there's usually a few steps that have to precede that
it's like growth feels good after it's happened yeah right it doesn't always feel good while you're in it
and i think also on that topic i think it's quite interesting that and i talk a lot about this with my clients especially in business is it's almost like we need evidence that it's going to work right in order to be willing to create the change It feels easier.
I think we tell ourselves it's easier if I definitely know it's going to work because change feels risky, doesn't it? You know, and people have different tolerances of risk and risk that risk they're willing to take.
Why do you think we find it such a difficult thing? Why do you think as humans we find change so difficult?
So we will always gravitate towards the certainty that where we can get certainty, we'll hold on to it.
And that's why some people stay stuck, sometimes in a job that they know that they're not really happy in.
And they kind of sometimes think that they would like to do something else, but the prospect of the change is too much.
It's really when I think that we all have a desire within us to grow.
And I think that that's why it doesn't feel good if we do stay stuck in the familiar.
You know, and it kind of speaks a little bit to abusive relationships as well.
I'm thinking as a kind of an example that when you're in the middle of it, it doesn't always seem as bad and there'll be good times within it as well there'll be a part of you that probably knows it's not great and part of you that wants something different similar to a career change or like I say any change of any description we are we sometimes are attracted to the familiar even if it's not good for us or it's not really ticking our boxes and growth feels good but there's usually a few steps that have to precede that
it's like growth feels good after it's happened yeah right it doesn't always feel good while you're in it
and i think also on that topic i think it's quite interesting that and i talk a lot about this with my clients especially in business is it's almost like we need evidence that it's going to work right in order to be willing to create the change It feels easier.
I think we tell ourselves it's easier if I definitely know it's going to work because change feels risky, doesn't it? You know, and people have different tolerances of risk and risk that risk they're willing to take.
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