Harmony At Last, LLC

When the winds of change are upon you, how do you react? Do you fight change? Accept the opportunity of it? Deny it?

Even though change does not always feel good when we’re in the midst of it, there can be a growth opportunity hidden within it (the silver lining in the clouds if you will). We just have to be willing to look for it. I have also found that sometimes it’s difficult to find the silver lining when I’m in the midst of the change- it can be easier to see it once I’m looking back on it with wiser eyes.

There are several quotes I saw recently which can offer some reflection on change, challenges, and opportunities.

“The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.” Helen Keller

“When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so regretfully upon the closed door that we don’t see the one that has opened for us.” Helen Keller

“Without the difficulty of being hemmed in, the tree in the forest would not be forced to marshal its power to grow toward the light. It must truly bring forth all its inner strength to spread its branches. If it becomes grand, it is in part because of its suffering. Thus the times of adversity can be crucial to the development of one’s inner personality.” From 365 Tao, by Deng Ming-Dao.

What change are you facing right now? How are you responding to it?

“If it’s not fun, don’t do it.” Have you ever heard that statement before?

“No pain, no gain” is another common one.

So how do you reconcile the difference between the two? The first statement seems to tell us that we should only do things that are fun for us while the second statement says that there is some pain if we want to get ahead. The statements could seem to be polar opposites. Or not.

I have witnessed people who continue to do things that are hard and not enjoyable just “to get ahead”. Maybe they are trying to advance their career, get to-dos done, or finish an organizing project. Most certainly they are following the “pain for gain” concept. I have even caught myself in those situations at different points in life as well. In these situations, the question that must be asked is where do you want to get ahead to? What is the destination? Does one ever really arrive or is it just all about the journey? When do you get to start having fun?

What if we can have fun and enjoy ourselves even when we are doing things that are challenging? Where our energy is passionately focused on reaching our goals, individually or with a team, even if there are roadblocks along the way. Maybe we just don’t view things as painful roadblocks. Maybe they are little speed bumps instead. Maybe we can have fun along the journey and still enjoy fabulous achievements.

Maybe it’s really our perception that makes all of the difference.