It was remarked during a chance encounter yesterday that "the moment we decide something, it becomes static and then 'it' becomes the problem" and this got me thinking - about change as a universal law of nature.
How often do we hear statements likened to "these are times of change we live in"? I wish to question this, to pull it up for examination, for surely the reality is that we are always living in times of change; it is impossible to live in anything but. The universal laws of nature dictate that in every moment of existence everything is in constant motion; just as the clouds are always moving, so is every cell, every molecule inside of us, even an oak table is made up slowly moving dense energy. Our thoughts too, are changing from one moment to the next, granted they may be repetitive, however they are in constant flux, as many of us know only too well, as our thoughts excessively dart around within our minds. Emotions, feelings, time, the list goes on and on. So what is this fascination with change all about? Our politicians like to cry out from the roof tops about it, "we stand for change, we shall bring great new change", well yes one could say, of course you will, in fact you'd be hard pushed to prevent it seeing as it's a scientific universal given. Yet within this strange parody lies the problem. As a society, perhaps as a world society, we are fighting one giant loosing battle, fighting a law of nature - we are hypercritically trying to fix things down and prevent change whilst at the same time promote ourselves as being open to it.
Why? Fear. Change is scary, it is unsettling, it means things are outside of our control, it challenges our sense of security, it opens the realm of the unknown, it threatens to remove power from those who have it. Yet it is also known that it is necessary for growth to happen. Biologically we call it evolution, technologically we call it invention, culturally we call it progress, businesses could call it market trend. Change brings great strength/health/growth, preventing change creates weakness/sickness/death. The change that is evolution creates strong races and plant life, the survival of the fittest kicks in and ensures this is so. When this is prevented e.g inbred communities, sickness, deformity and the such can ensue. We didn't create electricity through sticking with candle light, nor solar panels through sticking with non-renewable resources. M&S turned a flagging business back around by responding to the changing market needs, the Virgin brand embraces change and the risk change presents and has grown as a result of this.
It seems whilst the world at large and individuals know that change is good we continue to fight it. Politics knows change is needed, yet is terrified to let go of the system that keeps it in power, the system that seemingly keeps things in order and so whilst the worlds political and economic structure is crumpling, superficial changes are being shuffled around the edges in an attempt to satisfy who? The public? The universal laws of nature? It is certain that the latter will not be fooled and will ensure deep change whether it is requested or not. As individuals do we not also operate similar superficial attempts at change? We buy new clothes to create a new image, we stop smoking by shifting our addiction onto drinking more coffee or an exercise routine, we see faults in our relationships and expect the other person to change.
Small changes can certainly help get the ball rolling, however, if they serve only to protect, procrastinate and prevent the deeper change of that which has become old, stagnant, out of date, fixed and rigid then it is only disservice that is being done. The energy of keeping things fixed is so much more than allowing the movement of change. Maintaining the job you no longer want yet pays the mortgage, the friendship that has died, the guilt of family duties all take so much emotion and energy (including financial) and often refusal to really deal with the changes required at a core level often result in stress, the loss of something, physical ill health etc. In a business or politics the same thing can happen, core changes are not made and the results can lead to relational, structural, financial strains and stresses and in the worst instances they collapse or go bust.
Yes, at times deep change can seem like you are detonating the tower you have so carefully built and is now falling in pieces around and on top of your head – and it can feel both terrifying and insane to willingly allow such change. However, not to allow this is to argue with reality, the reality that everything is constantly changing and must be allowed to change, not forced into static structures and patterns, and as Byron Katie would say, when you argue with reality you loose, but only 100% of the time! And as evolution, technology, cultural progress, personal development and business all show, change allows for the weakness to fall away and allows for great success and great strength to be birthed in its place.
Olivia Flaxman
www.oliviaworks.co.uk
Personal Coach & Workshop Facilitator
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