In 2015, I
wrote, “What is Change?" Since then, I can’t even begin to tell you how
much change I have experienced! Some of it has been physical; some of it has
been with my staff. Some of it has even been political. Some of it has been set
in motion by me, and I’ve been a receiver of a lot of changes around me that
impacted and changed me.
Yet, I
still see change as a process of flow. It is
the flow. It is the essence of life. It’s not about boredom or redundancy and
it’s never a good thing to idle through change. Don’t shut off the heart when
going through change! Trust in the ebb and flow. Transition -- how we handle it
and what it teaches us -- is the greatest joy of being human.
So often
we look at change as negative. Yes,
change is not always a choice; it may be a loss, or something we had not
anticipated to take place in our lives.
How much my life has changed in these last several months! And though
some of the changes seemed to be ever so difficult, many of the changes have
really helped me to grow, learn and stretch myself in new directions.
The more I
welcome and embrace change as a gift of opportunity, I find I actually think
differently. Change simply means not getting “stuck” in the routine.
Every six
months, I like to do a self-assessment to make sure that I am tuned into the
changes that are happening around me so that I am still reaching and growing.
It’s a lot like pruning and cleaning a garden to keep it fresh and healthy
through the seasons. During a process of change, take a moment to be quiet and
listen. You’ll start to enjoy the new precisely
because it is different!
As we
begin to welcome in the cooler air and rich colors of the autumn season, I
encourage all of us to embrace the many changes ahead as a positive experience
of “newness”—a refresh and refill for one’s soul.
