When I was ten years old, I read the book ‘who moved my cheese’ by Spencer Johnson. Probably one of the most accessible self-help reads, and I finished it in 30minutes. Deep in my subconscious mind, I understood that change was an essential aspect of life. Otherwise, I would become stubborn and stagnate my growth. The book stayed with me, and I started to add variety and colour to my life. I often changed my routine, both work/social, added new experiences, learned new skills and became more creative. Many things can’t change outside of our control, so focus more on what you can control by changing yourself and adapting to change.
The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus quoted that ‘the only constant in life is change’. Life changes over time; as everything becomes new and moves onwards, we experience changes in our careers, health, relationships, decision-making, and priorities. But some will avoid good healthy change because they hate having to step up and take responsibility. That is why some individuals have the same gloomy outlook on life for decades. They remain to be the same person for fifties plus years and beyond. They prefer the easy path, and they will be the first to dispute the matter, anywhere there is change. Ever seen people that live in clutter with thousands of antiques in their homes? They are still living in the past and haven’t still adapted to change.
If change is a constant, then we have to learn to adapt with time. For example, let’s take health; if you enjoy running, the goals should constantly improve to hit the next peak. When running a 5km, then move onto a 10km and then train for a marathon. Not only will you become a better runner, but you challenge yourself further instead of running the same routine. Alternatively, if you are operating a business, you can take the business into different avenues with better products and services, with new campaigns to evolve the venture. Apple Inc started with the personal computer but, after a few decades, introduced telecoms, music devices and touchscreen PC tablets. The same principle applies to personal relationships, as we can get married and have children or develop new friendships and acquaintances over time.
Fresh Perspective
Throughout my life, I have changed my perspective and continue to this day; in the past, I have dwelled deep into spirituality, religion, philosophy, psychology, self-help, and personal development are few to name. But, going down a rabbit hole to find the one true source of happiness is sort of like setting myself up for failure. If life is a constant change, I learned that it’s all about picking and choosing, learning more, letting go of the old and making room for new. This can be achieved through new experiences and building knowledge which equates to further wisdom. Stoicism golden rule for success is progression. We can progress further by discovering new opportunities, being excited about adventures, and being open-minded and flexible. Progression only comes with maturity. As Buddha once said, change develops with maturity that the root to all suffering is attachment, ‘you only lose what you cling to’.
If life changes, then we should change both our thoughts and actions. If we adapt to the change, then we go with the flow; as soon as we try to resist, everything becomes more difficult because living in the past will not make things any better in the long run.