Renovation to Reinvention?

If indeed some of the synonyms for renovation are betterment, civilization, cultivation, development, elevation, enhancement, enrichment, furtherance, gain, growth, increase, preferment, progress, progression, promotion, rally, recovery, rectification, reformation, regeneration, revision, rise, upbeat, upgrade and upswing, why does it seem like a painful process? Does one close one's eyes and imagine the best outcome?

Perhaps it is a question of scale? A small renovation, new hairstyle, new bath mat, new restaurant all seem easily manageable. But changing a personal environment--an earthquake in the making. I guess it helps to have perspective. In today's photos, the one on the left encompasses many times the space of the one on the right and in that one, well, you can see just how big I am. All is in perspective.