Feb 3, 2021 3 min read

Have you switched smartphones lately?

I had my phone for several years and – silly me – thought it would still last a few more. When the battery started not holding a charge for very long, I realized its time had come.

But which phone to get?

I have always had an Android phone and the fear of changing from Android to iPhone kept me from switching because I thought it would be such a hassle to change operating systems and learn a new phone. Then there was the confusion over which phone to buy from which company, whether to trade-in, upgrade or consider switching carriers. It’s enough to give you a headache or anxiety before you even consider the sticker shock of $1,000 cell phones these days.

I have never, ever been one to let fear stand in my way of doing anything but for some reason I just could not bring myself to tackle this cellphone switch.

I considered smashing my old phone and getting a new one through insurance but my conscience and fear of arrest would not let me do it. My wonderful and thoughtful boyfriend must have gotten sick of listening to me ponder the options and gave me an Apple gift card for Christmas. So it was set in stone: I was officially making the switch from Android to iPhone.

After a little online shopping, I settled on a newer, but not the newest, iPhone and placed the order. It actually couldn’t have gone better.

Within a day or two, my shiny new phone sat under the Christmas tree waiting to be opened and activated. I followed the directions and my old phone connected to and sent everything over to my new phone seamlessly. A very nice fellow from Apple talked me through the process by phone and was extremely helpful. I’m still learning the ins and outs of my new gadget, but I am so thrilled with it and so relieved that it was much easier than I thought.

That got me to thinking about how much fear of the unknown or anxiety about change can paralyze us and prevent us from progress or trying new things. So my smartphone taught me a life lesson: Don’t let fear of change stop you from changing.

Instead of worrying so much about what might go wrong, just try it and be confident that things will go right. It may be a lot easier or better than you expected and will open you up to new possibilities and experiences in life.

I heard someone once say, “You never know how much fun you’ll have at the party… if you don’t go to the party. Go to the party!”

I would add you also should not be afraid to switch smartphones or try new technology. You just may learn to love it!

Kristin Emery can be reached at kristinemery1@yahoo.com.