| The person who masters change, masters | | | | turns of life's winding river. They prepare |
| happiness.The best way to thrive in today's | | | | themselves and their lives to bend, re-arrange and |
| ever-fluid, volatile world, is to become a master | | | | transform to harmonize with the upcoming |
| of change. A "Change Master" not only welcomes, | | | | meanderings of the river. They know that change |
| invites and celebrates the flux of constantly | | | | is life's agent of renewal and strategy of |
| evolving life, but also consciously drives and | | | | survival.The Myth of Change as StruggleContrary |
| directs these rhythms. When you live "smart," | | | | to popular belief, change does not have to be |
| you drive change. You don't have to let change | | | | hard! Change can be difficult if we choose to fight |
| drive you. When you shift from a | | | | it or deny it-like the perennial ostrich, sticking its |
| "resistance-to-change" mindset toward a | | | | head in the sand and pretending something |
| self-empowered frame of mind, you unlock your | | | | doesn't exist. When we don't prepare ourselves |
| vitality, creativity and spirit.Change, the | | | | for life's rollicking rollercoaster, we don't enjoy the |
| Unwelcome GuestMost of us were not raised to | | | | ride.But if we get proactive and anticipate change, |
| welcome change. On the contrary, our modern | | | | we can not only flow with the current, but also |
| Western culture promotes the opposite: the | | | | direct the current. We can lead change by taking |
| pursuit of predictability. We're advised to try to | | | | the initiative to take creative steps ahead of time |
| keep our life as regular, set and stable as possible. | | | | that allow the inevitable to be accommodated |
| The status quo is sacred. The unknown future is | | | | with ease and even joy! A Change Master |
| portrayed as dangerous and threatening. "Don't | | | | chooses to embark in new directions, to |
| rock the boat!" we're admonished. The collective | | | | experiment with different options, and to surf the |
| strategy is that the more aspects of our life that | | | | waves of change as a fun life adventure.Intuition |
| remain the same, the less we have to adjust and | | | | to the Rescue!With today's fast-moving pace, |
| adapt. And the less we have to change, the | | | | action often has to be taken with limited or |
| easier life will be. The party line is that change is | | | | imperfect information about the future. Without all |
| inevitable-unfortunately!-but certainly no fun. | | | | the necessary facts, the analytical mind doesn't |
| Having to constantly change and grow is | | | | know what to do. But intuition does! A Change |
| experienced as a struggle-a challenging, hard | | | | Master consults intuition-inner guidance, instincts, |
| ordeal-by most of our elders.Make Change Your | | | | "gut feeling"-when sufficient data is not |
| AllyIndigenous peoples have a different approach | | | | available.The analytical side of our consciousness |
| to change. Native peoples live closer to Nature | | | | organizes and stores information. The intuitive side |
| than most Westerners do. And they take their | | | | immediately retrieves all relevant data and |
| cue from Mother Nature who advises: "Make | | | | experience from the full depth and breath of our |
| change your friend, your ally. Allow change to | | | | lifelong experience in order for us to make wise |
| work for you, not against you." The natural world | | | | decisions. The analytical mind is to intuition as a file |
| suggests we learn to roll with the punches, so we | | | | cabinet is to the supercomputer at the Pentagon. |
| can enjoy life exuberantly expressing itself | | | | Intuition functions a thousand times faster than |
| through continual change.Feng-shui Your LifeIf we | | | | the mind. And has resources a million times more |
| observe elements of nature, we see that water | | | | vast. A Change Master uses intuition to improve |
| and wind flow with the life's tides of constant | | | | his or her ability to improvise and adjust quickly to |
| change. Water and wind are flexible and fluid, | | | | change. Intuition helps us to not only survive, but |
| willing to transform shape immediately with the | | | | to thrive!Inner Guidance Saves a FamilyHumans |
| fluctuating forces acting upon them. They move in | | | | also have precognitive abilities, but usually don't |
| the direction of the movement of change. They | | | | use them as much as animals. Susan, one of my |
| take the quickest, easiest path-the path of least | | | | coaching clients, is an exception. One day she |
| resistance-no matter what changes in form are | | | | received a very strong intuitive knowing to sell |
| required. Hence, the whole philosophy and practice | | | | her family's home and move. Loving the house, |
| of Feng-shui: the art of nurturing energy flow, | | | | neighborhood and schools, her husband and |
| health and aliveness. The very term literally | | | | children didn't want to uproot their lives without a |
| means "the way of wind and water." In Chinese, | | | | good "rational" reason. Her certainty in the |
| "feng" means wind, "shui" means water.Change as | | | | accuracy of her intuition fortunately convinced the |
| OpportunityNative peoples wisely view change as | | | | family to relocate. The week after the their home |
| a personal opportunity, not as a threat. They | | | | was sold and the moving van had left with all their |
| know that change brings fresh perspectives and | | | | possessions, the house was destroyed in the |
| new possibilities. Indigenous peoples look for the | | | | 1994 Northridge, California, 6.8 magnitude |
| gift in every curve ball that life throws us. | | | | earthquake!Ride the WaveWith an open, willing |
| Indigenous cultures welcome the surprise and | | | | attitude toward life's inevitable fluctuations, a |
| spontaneity that naturally accompany change. | | | | Change Master can discern the probable path of |
| They know that the more we flow with the | | | | the future and make pre-emptive adjustments to |
| fluctuations of life, the more resilient and happier | | | | make the transition easier when it comes. If we |
| we are."How Can I Steer Change to My | | | | are in denial or blinding fear about the future, we |
| Advantage?"Knowing that change is inevitable and | | | | can't get ourselves ready to handle the shifts with |
| ever-occurring, tribal peoples intuitively respond to | | | | grace. With an accepting approach, we can |
| life's fluctuations ahead of time-rather than waiting | | | | intuitively predict the course of our future and |
| until life forces them to change, reacting after the | | | | arrange our life to take the fullest advantage of |
| fact. Looking ahead with excitement and clarity, | | | | the changes.(c)2004, Keith Varnum. All rights in all |
| native peoples anticipate the inevitable twists and | | | | media reserved. |