A Reflection About 'Change' ...

As you sip your morning coffee while settling in for another week, I thought a mid-season jolt was needed to inspire the greatness in all of US! Several months ago, I was sent the following YouTube link which at this moment has been viewed over 5.5 million times (many of you have already seen the video; but that doesn’t water down its impact). The video clip embodies the speed at which our world changes, even one step at a time. The clip is approximately a year old, and even its contents are outdated – My Space is surpassed by Facebook, and Twitter is the current rage. Click on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8

Viewing this clip I wonder how to keep ahead of the tide wave of ‘change’ and evolution that is constant. Last week our bi-monthly business professional mastermind group gathered and discussed ‘change’ in our personal and professional lives. As I listened to the group share (who by the way are much smarter than myself), I became aware of how people often consider ‘change’ as an ‘external’ event or process (“I wish my wife or husband would just change things would be so much better; if only my girlfriend or boyfriend wouldn’t do that; if only my kid would listen; only if my client or boss or peer at work would just see the error in their ways; if our product or service was only this way or that, etc.). Listening to the group I reminded myself of the importance of staying present to what it is that I need to ‘change’ within to effectuate the greatest shift so that I may keep pace to realizing my goals? A parallel thought to that is how must I effectuate a shift in my internal response pattern so as to cause a ‘change’ in all that is around me, including how others choose to deal with me?

Self-improvement pundits suggest in a multitude of forums that resistance to ‘change’ results in falling behind and eventual failure – whether personally or professionally. So why is it that we think of ‘change’ outside of ourselves or even yet avoid ‘change’ altogether? With little thought the answers are as numerous as those considering the question … fear, complacency, ignorance, apathy, comfort, to busy, satisfaction, uncertainty, being overwhelmed, family, kids, work, etc. Truthfully I never get to the question of “why I’m resistant to change” because I view ‘change’ as the ONLY constant in our universe. Consider for a moment that our body regenerates itself (fundamental change) at a cellular level every couple weeks, regardless of whether we acknowledge ‘change’ or not.

So if that is the case, how do we stay in “motion” in our life so as to embrace the ‘change’ that is occurring all around us 24/7? Borrowing from Jack Canfield’s book entitled “The Success Principles” his “Rule of 5” seems like a worthy tool that can help us move from vision or goal (mere thought or mindset) to ultimate success. The theory is that after defining what it is we want to co-create in our life, we commit ourselves to accomplishing 5 things each and every day that moves us toward our goals (regardless of what they may be); then gradually over time we will manifest all that we seek. Really the essence of the message is to “get in action” and then “stay in motion” until it just becomes an integral part of our being evidenced in our daily routine and a part of our every thought.

For those of us who are “immediate gratification” type personalities (which I am certainly one) this seems too slow … well consider the following excerpt taken from “Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul.” “Jaroldeen Edwards describes the day her daughter Carolyn took her to Lake Arrowhead to see a wonder of nature – fields and fields of daffodils that extend for as far as the eye can see. From the top of the mountain, slopping down for many acres across folds and valleys, between the trees and bushes, following the terrain, there are rivers of daffodils in radiant bloom – a literal carpet of every hue of the color yellow, from the palest ivory to the deepest lemon to the most vivid salmon-orange. There appear to be over a million daffodil bulbs planted in this beautiful natural scene. Totally breath taking. So as they walked to the center of this magical place, they stumbled upon a sign that read: ‘Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking.’ The first answer was ‘One woman – two hands, two feet and very little brain.’ The second answer was ‘One at a Time.’ The third: ‘Started in 1958.’” Personally the following quote brings this whole subject of ‘change’ full circle and truly resonates with me ... “The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.” William James, Harvard Psychologist

And so it is that ‘change’, progress, evolution, growth, expansion and success ultimately starts from the seeds of a internal thought and mindset that is held within; an openness and willingness to consider approaches behind just our own experience; a commitment to be more than just the totality of our own internal stories; and to resonant with the very law of nature that is ‘change.’ Those of us that do are typically found at the forefront of radical shifts in our world. But the seeds of ‘change’ start and continue incrementally from commitments fulfilled within each of us every day. So instead of avoiding ‘change’ or rarely giving it a nanosecond of thought, why not give yourself a gift today and throughout the week and embrace every opportunity to experience ‘change.’

As always, I hope that you enjoy the read as well as the video clip. I am interested in your feedback, so let me know your thoughts. If in the meantime, I can be of service to you or your friends please let me know. Most of all though is have a GREAT week!!! Again thank you!!