Curious about Change - Repeat after Me, "Change Is Good"

I mentioned to a woman with whom I work on a quarterly basis that I was moving after living eleven years in the same apartment. She advised, “Just keep repeating `Change Is Good. Change Is Good.’”

I definitely agree. Over these past two months, however, I have discovered two truths about change. Yes, change may be good for us, however, it is not always easy. And, even though I can count the benefits, there are many others who would rather fight change and complain about it.

With my move and also with the springing of summer, a lot of extra, unforeseen change has taken place. The move wasn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. It involved some of the hardest and most physical work I have ever done. I do feel fitter than ever!

But, the good part is that I de-cluttered. I gave boxes and boxes of books to the library for their annual sale. I gave huge bags of clothes (still like new, but seldom worn) to a local shelter. I gave away furniture that didn’t fit the style of my new, ultra-modern space. With every belonging now in its new un-crowded location (the closets here are “to die for”) I am enjoying the Feng Shui fruits of a clean, uncluttered environment.

On the other hand, change can bring with it new, unexpected challenges. My biggest one was that somehow the wiring for my two business telephone lines kept causing shorts. It would work for one line, but not two. I had been using one for the business phone calls and the other for my Internet connection and/or fax machine.

Ah, yes, “Change Is Good” so there must be a solution. And, there was! I decided to go with DSL, cancel the second line and also my dial-up connection. With help from an excellent 24/7 technology service, I was soon set up - not only with the DSL connection, but also with a Wireless router, so I could also access the Internet on my laptop at the front of the apartment.

How smug I was. That is until I started to send out my bi-weekly e-newsletter to its 2200 recipients and was told that my new service would not allow this under any circumstances. I finally worked it out, but it is still not what I can say is perfect. The good part of this change is that I have learned a huge amount more about computer usage. And to help facilitate, I have re-subscribed to my dial-up service for mailing days.

Now, for the complainers of change.

In the midst of all of my personal change and changes, the fitness club where I teach decided to cut back classes and length of classes for the summer months. Because I teach more classes than most of the instructors, my class times were changed, one was dropped and a couple were shortened.

Again, I repeated, “Change Is Good” and decided that getting up a half hour earlier than before would give me more time to work on the books I am writing, garden in my new garden and also catch up on reading.

But, oh my! You would not have believed the bitter and angry comments from some of the students. One kept saying that she was not a morning person and that scheduling the classes a half hour earlier would be a “real inconvenience” for her. She and some of the others were almost nasty about it. They didn’t want to hear that, “Change Is Good” or that it hadn’t been my decision to change the schedule.

Anyway, my question to you is, “How do you deal with change? Do you feel it is good?”

I say, let’s welcome change with open arms. It keeps us alive and thriving. It may not be easy and it may inconvenience our lives a bit, but I am convinced that, “Change Is Good!”