The idea of change is something lots of people struggle with – whether that’s change imposed on us (e.g. new management, redundancy or bereavement) or changes we want to make for ourselves (e.g. getting healthy, studying, making time for family or hobbies).
Change is HARD, we’re told. It is. That’s what we have at the back of our minds, even as we tell ourselves that this time we really will complete a project or shed a stone or look for a more rewarding job. The idea that change is difficult weighs on us and holds us in place.
But here’s an idea. What if we were to imagine that change is EASY?
This thought came to me on a recent trip to Yorkshire, standing on the banks of the river at the beautiful Bents Mill near Bingley. I was drawn to the sound of the water tumbling over rocks, flowing on its way, always moving, always finding its onward path.
The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, famously said you can’t step in the same river twice, because both the river and you have changed. It’s obvious when you think about it.
So if, like the river, it’s in our nature to change, maybe that makes change less daunting. Maybe change is inevitable and therefore we can go with the flow. We can find a way forward.
Of course some changes are painful – uninvited, damaging disruptions that can hold us back. It often takes time to get over that kind of imposed change.
But maybe if we were to hold the thought that we are ever-changing, it becomes easier to see ourselves moving towards the things we want in life.
If you were to channel your innate ability to adapt and progress, how would you use that power to change? What would it enable you to do that you had thought was impossible – or just hard work – before?
If you’d like to talk about changes you’d like to make – at work, in your team, in your personal life – I’d love to hear from you. hello@storyroad.co.uk
In the meantime, if you’d like to take some time out in nature, I can heartily recommend Bents Mill at Hewenden.