Shift Happens

Like death and taxes one of the things you can always count on in life is that things will change. They will change sometimes seemingly all by themselves or very often things will change with a nudge here or there. Change can be positive or negative or painless or painful. Change can send a note that says she is coming or can unexpectedly arrive at your front door. Change is on call 24/7 and doesn’t mind working overtime. Change can be hard to warm up to but once you get to know her, she can be a true friend. On the other hand, if you ignore her, she’ll turn on you in a heartbeat. She’s just that way; you can never really tell what will happen next.

The key to living with change is to recognize that deep down inside change carries with her the opportunity to shift. And shifting is the fuel and the means you need to let change into your life at just the precise moment when you can enjoy it most. Shifting is, in essence, adapting and modifying your inside software to the new external forces entering your life. Shifting is like learning to speak the language of whatever environment you find yourself in at the time. Shifting keeps you conscious and aware of what is actually happening so you can not only deal with it, you can enjoy it. If we don’t shift when change comes she will still arrive, but instead of the guest bedroom, she’ll take over the whole house.

A shift is related to change, carrying some of the same DNA, and yet it is totally different. A well-timed and conscious controlled shift is akin to the happy and generous uncle of the family, whereas some of the family tree is indeed shiftless or even shifty. When change happens it’s related to some type of shift. They each need each other to survive and play off of the other’s actions. There are lots of examples of how shifting can be beneficial and sometimes critical. In physics, a shift in frequency can cause incredible effects. In phonetics, a shift in vowel pronunciation can alter an entire language system. In music, a shift in the position of the conductor’s hand or the fingers on a keyboard can have a dramatic impact on the music. A defensive shift on the football team can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Shifting is our friend. Shifting lets us recognize the landscape and allows us to downshift, if needed, to make our engines work at peak performance. The power to shift lets you maneuver through life’s changes in ways that keep you in control of the effects of change. The power to shift our thinking and perspective when change occurs can save us in desperate situations and conversely, that same power to shift our thinking and perspective can also create exactly the change we desire.

The three keys to being in the driver’s seat when change comes to visit are:

1. Take your own car. Recognize that you can set the speed and direction of your life and create miracles for yourself and those around you. Taking the wheel gives you an advantage in manifesting only the changes that you want – your greatest dreams.

2. Watch the road. Don’t ignore signs of change. Pay attention to what’s going on in your world. Don’t ever assume it will stay status quo. By paying attention you may see change about to cross your path before she sees you. This could be the advantage you need to avoid a crash.

3. Don’t follow the map. Being rigid on any journey can cause setbacks. Sometimes the careful path you selected is under construction or re-routed through tough terrain. Another direction may be in order and even if it’s not on the map and you’re unsure of where it goes, it can often provide the best possible, unexpected, and most direct road to happiness.

In the end, change will happen anyway, but shifting is an option and so how we deal with change is every bit as important as the change itself. Things will happen and you will make things happen and within this give and take and flux, there can be joy and love and bliss. And in the event that you encounter a change that was unexpected or the deliverance of a dream come true, you in all of your awesomeness, have an unlimited reservoir for creating another better version of whatever you choose. Shift on!
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Today’s Szenippet: Don’t settle for makeshift when you can make shift.
Gary Szenderski
From the Book of Szen

The Book of Szen is published weekly or thereabouts and permission to reprint or share is granted. For back issues please email me directly at garys@ergoworldwide.com © Gary Szenderski 2008 All Rights Reserved. Gary is an author, branding specialist and part-time instructor at UCI. He specializes in helping people and organizations navigate change. Gary resides in Southern California.