The Only Constant Thing in Life is…
“The very nature of life is change, to resist this natural flow is to resist the very essence of our existence.” – Heraclitus
Everything in life changes, the question is, do we accept it?
Nick Vujicic is a 33-year-old man who was diagnosed with Phocomelia, an extraordinarily rare congenital condition characterized by the absence of legs and arms. Growing up in Melbourne, Australia, Nick struggled mentally, emotionally and physically. Bullied at school, he attempted suicide when he was just 10 years old. Eventually coming to terms with his disability, Nick decided to become vocal about living with disabilities and finding hope and meaning in life. The charismatic Australian now travels the world addressing huge crowds. He has visited more than 57 countries and given over three thousand talks, some of which have attracted audiences as large as 110,000 people. Nick has also founded an international non-profit organisation, Life Without Limbs, through which he campaigns against bullying. He has also published his memoir; Love Without Limits, which is an international bestseller. As a result of his determination to not give up hope or make excuses, he was able to see the upside of change and make a difference in the world today.
Like Nick, I want to also challenge and encourage you to Embrace Change. The year 2020 posed a huge challenge to us, leading many individuals and organizations to adopt varying unconventional approaches in their businesses and lifestyles.
So, we can see that change is a force of nature that cannot be stopped. Take for instance when I got married, that was a huge step. Imagine what transiting from bachelorhood to “married-hood” if I can call it that, felt like. But today, when I look at my kids and the decisions I’ve made in life, I’m thankful for that great leap.
So, in life our response to change determines our viewing lens. Here are Three (3) Things to Note that Helped Me in Embracing My Life’s Changes:
1. Change is Inevitable
Life is not static neither is it escapable.
For a fact, “it’s not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one that is more responsive to change.” – Charles Darwin.
Oftentimes when change occurs, our natural instinct is flight, this is generally because people don’t take change too kindly especially when it is thrust upon them.
For instance, when the time came for me to transit to the university, it was a major change for me because I had been a day student all my life and had never really left home. However, it was inevitable. I had to further my education!!
So remember, change is inevitable in the journey called life.
2. Think of the Upside of Change
“There is nothing wrong with change if it’s in the right direction.” – Winston Churchill.
There’s always an upside to change. There is no need to be pessimistic or lose hope when change happens rather, review your stand and identify the positive sides to the change. Take for instance, my relocation from Lagos to Abuja, I currently enjoy driving myself around because there is less traffic and as funny as that sounds, it’s a major upside for me.
So, as you embrace the changes in your life; Think of Your Own Upside and Deliberately Make the Best of it!
3. Look at the Opportunities Change Brings to You
I believe that “when there are changes, there are challenges”, but there are also opportunities. “All personal breakthrough begins with a change in beliefs”- Tony Robbins.
Successful people recognize that no matter how bleak it may seem, there are opportunities embedded in change waiting to be maximized only if they are willing to embrace it.
During the pandemic for instance, many businesses had to close their doors due to stringent lockdown protocols. Whilst, this was a major setback for many organisations, software solution companies such as Zoom – prior to Covid19 had only about 10 million users. However, by the end of April 2020, users of Zoom’s video conferencing app surged to over 300 million. Hence, through this crisis they were presented with an opportunity and fully maximised it.
In essence, based on how you choose to look at it, change can be a gateway to opportunities or a doorway to despondency.
So, Watch Out for Change Induced Opportunities and Make the Most of Them.
Remember, You Have Only One Life to Live, MAKE IT COUNT!
