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Change rarely arrives politely. It barges in as a breakup, a diagnosis, a job loss, a mistake you can’t undo—and suddenly the life you pictured is gone. In The Other Side of Change, cognitive scientist Maya Shankar shows that disruption isn’t just something to survive; it can be the start of becoming someone new. Drawing from her research and deeply human stories—like Olivia’s recovery after a brain-stem stroke, Dwayne Betts’ transformation from incarcerated teenager to acclaimed poet, and Shankar’s own heartbreak around motherhood—she maps what our minds do when certainty disappears. You’ll learn why denial can be protective, how “possible selves” reshape identity, and how to break rumination with practical tools like psychological distancing, awe, and self-compassion. If you’re in the middle of a transition (or still haunted by one), this is a science-backed guide to meeting the future with more courage, flexibility, and hope.
