Staying Ahead of Change
Lately, we have all been experiencing an extreme amount of change in short periods of time. As we adjust to all of these changes, it is clear that some people have been able to adapt quicker than others. Why is that? Is there something that we can do to prepare for these changes, or do we have to change the way we think about change as a whole?
Adaptation
I have been observing and assisting our patrons as we have adjusted to our city’s response to the pandemic. While I know it has been hard on our staff, we have managed to get through each of our various stages by supporting each other and allowing ourselves time and space to adjust. It has not been easy, and many emotions arise as we adjust, but supporting each other and being patient has made a huge difference. As patrons have gotten used to all the changes, I have noticed that some adapt almost immediately, while others have to make space to accept this as a part of their new reality. The differences have been so distinct, that it had me thinking more about this topic.
Why It’s Unsettling
Change is one of the most natural things that we experience in our lives. In fact, our planet is always changing. As time goes through us, we are constantly in a state of flux. Every living thing on the planet, and all of the elements, are always adjusting to the continual changes that we experience. Our dormant lifestyle is actually continual flux.
It would seem logical then for us to accept change, yet we often resist. Routine and familiarity are comforting and reassuring. We use these elements to make plans. When things change too quickly, it unsettles us and brings fear, anxiety, frustration, and/or anger. If the root of these emotions is not understood and managed, then we can get stuck within our emotions and express them in various forms, sometimes in unhealthy or destructive ways. If instead, we are able to adapt quickly and re-route our course of action, we thrive and spend less time on emotional roadblocks, and more on finding the road back to success.
Check out these books!
To learn more about the various ways change can affect our lives and all the different ways you can help yourself adapt, check out one of the following books. Do you know of any good books, blogs, or vlogs about change? Leave a comment below!
“Persuadablility is the genuine willingness and ability to change your mind in the face of new evidence.” This book explains the seven practices of persuadable leaders, ranging from ways to consider opposite opinions, incrementally updating your beliefs, finding a balance between being too stubborn or too persuadable, and learning how to take the perspective of others.
Have you ever tried to concentrate on your own happiness by dedicating your time and focus on doing activities that you find fulfilling and rewarding? Gretchen Rubin spent a whole year doing just that. Check out her results in The Happiness Project and maybe you will also be inspired to make some changes in your life that bring you more happiness.
What is keeping you from achieving your element? Is it fear, lack of motivation, misunderstanding, or life experience that make it difficult to progress? In The Element, author Ken Robinson explores the reasons why we have a hard time reaching our talents or true potential, and what we can do to help ourselves make the necessary changes to accomplish our goals.
Immediately upon reading the book jacket description I was drawn to the term “strategic ignorance.” This term is defined in the book as, “deliberately avoiding the chance to learn new information to avoid discomfort and to increase our productivity.” Exploring the ranks of great individual minds as well as the most innovative and revered companies and organizations, Robson identifies traits that can lead even the super-smart into making mistakes that can hinder success and cause entire groups of people to be led astray.
Life has various twists and turns that make it difficult to navigate. Sometimes these challenges arise later in life, sometimes we start with them. This book has many accounts of people who have faced adversity in their lives and how they chose to navigate through these difficult obstacles. A great read for those who draw inspiration from personal accounts.
“The trick is to determine when to use the different parts of the brain, and to do this, we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think.” We know we are faced with challenges and changes that have been affecting our everyday life. We know that we must make decisions to be able to adapt to this landscape in order to survive and (hopefully) thrive. But how do we know that we are making the right choices? What are the factors that sway our decisions, and are they helping or harming us when we make these choices? Read up on how we decide and maybe shed some light on habits that are holding you back.