| The
person who masters change, masters happiness.
THE
BEST WAY TO THRIVE in today’s ever-fluid, volatile world,
is to become a master of change. A “Change Master” not only
welcomes, invites and celebrates the flux of constantly evolving life,
but also consciously drives and directs these rhythms. When
you live “smart,” you drive change. You don’t have
to let change drive you. When you shift from a “resistance-to-change”
mindset toward a self-empowered frame of mind, you unlock your vitality,
creativity and spirit.
Change,
the Unwelcome Guest
Most
of us were not raised to welcome change. On the contrary, our modern
Western culture promotes the opposite: the pursuit of predictability.
We’re advised to try to keep our life as regular, set and stable
as possible. The status quo is sacred. The unknown future is portrayed
as dangerous and threatening. “Don’t rock the boat!”
we’re admonished. The collective strategy is that the more aspects
of our life that remain the same, the less we have to adjust and adapt.
And the less we have to change, the easier life will be. The party line
is that change is inevitable—unfortunately!—but certainly
no fun. Having to constantly change and grow is experienced as a struggle—a
challenging, hard ordeal—by most of our elders.
Make
Change Your Ally
Indigenous
peoples have a different approach to change. Native peoples live closer
to Nature than most Westerners do. And they take their cue from Mother
Nature who advises: “Make change your friend, your ally. Allow
change to work for you, not against you.” The natural world suggests
we learn to roll with the punches, so we can enjoy life exuberantly
expressing itself through continual change.
Feng-shui
Your Life
If
we observe elements of nature, we see that water and wind flow with
the life’s tides of constant change. Water and wind are flexible
and fluid, willing to transform shape immediately with the fluctuating
forces acting upon them. They move in the direction of the movement
of change. They take the quickest, easiest path—the path of least
resistance—no matter what changes in form are required. Hence,
the whole philosophy and practice of Feng-shui: the art of nurturing
energy flow, health and aliveness. The very term literally means “the
way of wind and water.” In Chinese, “feng” means wind,
“shui” means water.
Change
as Opportunity
Native
peoples wisely view change as a personal opportunity, not as a threat.
They know that change brings fresh perspectives and new possibilities.
Indigenous peoples look for the gift in every curve ball that life throws
us. Indigenous cultures welcome the surprise and spontaneity that naturally
accompany change. They know that the more we flow with the fluctuations
of life, the more resilient and happier we are.
“How
Can I Steer Change to My Advantage?”
Knowing
that change is inevitable and ever-occurring, tribal peoples intuitively
respond to life’s fluctuations ahead of time—rather than
waiting until life forces them to change, reacting after the fact. Looking
ahead with excitement and clarity, native peoples anticipate the inevitable
twists and turns of life’s winding river. They prepare themselves
and their lives to bend, re-arrange and transform to harmonize with
the upcoming meanderings of the river. They know that change is life’s
agent of renewal and strategy of survival.
The
Myth of Change as Struggle
 Contrary
to popular belief, change does not have to be hard! Change can be difficult
if we choose to fight it or deny it—like the perennial ostrich,
sticking its head in the sand and pretending something doesn’t
exist. When we don’t prepare ourselves for life’s rollicking
rollercoaster, we don’t enjoy the ride.
But if
we get proactive and anticipate change, we can not only flow with the
current, but also direct the current. We can lead change by
taking the initiative to take creative steps ahead of time that allow
the inevitable to be accommodated with ease and even joy! A Change Master
chooses to embark in new directions, to experiment with different
options, and to surf the waves of change as a fun life adventure.
Intuition
to the Rescue!
With
today’s fast-moving pace, action often has to be taken with limited
or imperfect information about the future. Without all the necessary
facts, the analytical mind doesn’t know what to do. But intuition
does! A Change Master consults intuition—inner guidance, instincts,
“gut feeling”—when sufficient data is not available.
The analytical side
of our consciousness organizes and stores information. The intuitive
side immediately retrieves all relevant data and experience from the
full depth and breath of our lifelong experience in order for us to
make wise decisions. The analytical mind is to intuition as a file cabinet
is to the supercomputer at the Pentagon. Intuition functions a thousand
times faster than the mind. And has resources a million times more vast.
A Change Master uses intuition to improve his or her ability to improvise
and adjust quickly to change. Intuition helps us to not only survive,
but to thrive!
Inner
Guidance Saves a Family
Humans
also have precognitive abilities, but usually don’t use them as
much as animals. Susan, one of my coaching clients, is an exception.
One day she received a very strong intuitive knowing to sell her family’s
home and move. Loving the house, neighborhood and schools, her husband
and children didn’t want to uproot their lives without a good
“rational” reason. Her certainty in the accuracy of her
intuition fortunately convinced the family to relocate. The week after
the their home was sold and the moving van had left with all their possessions,
the house was destroyed in the 1994 Northridge, California, 6.8 magnitude
earthquake!
Ride
the Wave
With
an open, willing attitude toward life’s inevitable fluctuations,
a Change Master can discern the probable path of the future and make
pre-emptive adjustments to make the transition easier when it comes.
If we are in denial or blinding fear about the future, we can’t
get ourselves ready to handle the shifts with grace. With an accepting
approach, we can intuitively predict the course of our future and arrange
our life to take the fullest advantage of the changes.
©
Keith Varnum , 2004
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