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- Article By Lawrence Ko, Associate Director of Arrows With Soul

The winds of change are blowing.

Winds of change are welcome these days especially as the world seeks new and renewable sources of energy. Sometimes they come as breath of fresh air which truly can reinvigorate us in the home and workplace and revitalize old relationships and renew our organizations.
As most of us are creatures of habits, we tend to relish the familiar and comfort zone. That is why many of us are averse to change. Change usually brings along too many risks, and frankly speaking, requires too much effort.

However change is a reality as we live in a world of rapid and continuous change. Those who adapt best will thrive and actually enjoy the adventure of new journeys and new ways of living and doing things.

The familiar story of the Chinese old man who lost his horse in the frontier land reminds us that change can be a blessing or a bane depending on our outlook towards life. The runaway horse turns out to be a blessing as it returned with beautiful stallion. Unfortunately the old man's son fell and broke his hip while riding the new horse and became disabled. Fortunately it turned out to be a blessing as the young man escaped conscription from military service afterwards when war broke out. The old man, ever philosophical, muses as he ponders every change and every new turn of event in his life, saying "Blessing or bane? Who knows?"

The experts tell us that there is a difference between change and transition.
Simply put, change is the external which impacts us. Transition is the internal adjustment we make in our personal lives in response to the external change. The ability to develop our attitudes and outlooks appropriately in response to changes around us will is key to transitioning well.

In other words, the focus during a change process should not be merely external but more importantly, also directed towards the internal, inward and indeed the mental, emotional and spiritual states of a person. Our souls if well nurtured, enable us to face change with positive outcomes. We become better rather than bitter.

The winds of change are blowing fast and furiously... sometimes appearing as cyclones of change. We can become fearful and anxious.

We live in a world which has changed over the past decade. The Internet and numerous new technology has transformed our lives and the way we think, work, live and play. Many are learning to cope and not even adjusting well. But like it or not, the future has arrived and the times, they are a-changing...

Organizations which have been nimble and perceptive to the changing environment have promptly re-organised themselves in anticipation or in response to current pressures or to the challenges ahead.

With the advent of new technology, competition arrives suddenly like a bolt out of the blue and alters (or sometimes destroys) forever some familiar products or concepts in our daily lives. Rapid change in the economic and political landscape can also shake our foundations cruelly. We may experience loss in the wake of change as the familiar is displaced or sometimes lost forever.

Change, like the common cold, is a process which necessarily takes time as it involves an emotional journey. Psycho-emotionally, the process is akin to the grieving process involving shock and denial, then fear and anger, before sadness and finally acceptance takes place. Each person goes through the process differently and some cope with it better than others. As such, we need to give time and space to each other in a sensitive manner as we go through change and transition.

The winds of change are blowing fiercely but we need not be afraid as fear begets fear.

At Arrows With Soul, we encourage everyone going through change to life their heads up high, live like an eagle and look ahead with strategic vision. We can consider envisioning the future and pressing on towards what lies ahead rather than lamenting the worms and grubs we have lost.

Armed with the Arrows With Soul's Eight Traits, we develop personal mastery and most of all, a spirit of tenacity and creativity which make us a people who dare to dream and see visions even in the valley of shadows. We stare at the mountains before us and remain unafraid because we believe we can confront the cliffs, no matter how steep they appear to be. We are geared up for the challenging future of the New Economy.

Change is always deeply personal but we can learn to transit successfully in our life journeys. We begin to welcome change as refreshing when we believe that a new window of hope and opportunities can indeed open up for us. However, it will take the resilient spirit and the centred soul that will see what may be invisible to the rest of the world. Enjoy the journey of change and transition in your life!  

copyrights reserved (C) 2010 Arrows with Soul Pte Ltd. Asian Journeys.
 


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