Changes, Stages

Inspired by a Jack Johnson song and recent significant changes in my life, I thought this might be a topic with common interest. Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, is quoted as saying “change is the only constant in life.” And through different stages of life we can anticipate some of those changes while others seem to come at us from directions unseen. Debasish Mridha says, “We can never control change; we can only control our response to change.” So how do we respond? One of my favorite books on change is “Who Moved My Cheese” by Spencer Johnson, MD, 1998. Here are a few of the “findings” from the story on how to handle change:

• Change Happens
• Anticipate Change
• Monitor Change
• Adapt to Change Quickly
• Change
• Enjoy Change!
• Be Ready to Change Quickly and Enjoy It Again

It’s a fun read to get you thinking about change. The second book I would recommend on change is for when change is really hard. It’s called “Switch – How to Change Things When Change is Hard” by Chip Heath & Dan Heath, 2010. This one will challenge your thinking. And right in the first chapter they come right out and say, “For anything to change, someone has to start acting differently.” Will that be you? What is holding you back? Here are 5 tips to managing change: Be patient, be positive, be practical, be persistent, and have a purpose. And finally, if you need some music to inspire you here are a few songs about change:

• Change, Jack Johnson
• Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson
• The Times They Are A-Changing, Bob Dylan
• Waiting On The World to Change, John Mayer

What are your favorites songs about change or that get you through change? Go ahead, make a change!

until next time…