Change Part Five

So, "Why change?"

Well, some change is easy, or at least easier. If the change involves something really good - a change for the better - then it is not as difficult. I have used electronic PDAs for well over a decade. My first one was a little Sharp unit that had a single line display. Then I moved up to an Apple Newton (Bet you never heard of it!), then a couple of Palms and now an iPod Touch. I went from the basic storage of names and appointments to a full colour, surf the web, really cool world and except for the resistance that comes with forking over the money I can say, "Change is good!" In fact, the Newton was purchased for me by my work, so there was no resistance at all, at least not on my part

Other types of change is made easier, or at least with less resistance, because there is absolutely no choice in the matter. You may not like the change, but there is no going back. I mentioned in a previous post that guitar builders have had to look for alternatives to Brazilian rosewood and Honduran mahogany. Guitar builders love to work with those woods, but they have been over harvested and now it is almost impossible to get them. So, the builders have had to look at alternative woods, they have had no choice. Which on a side note I think has lead to some really good sounding alternatives, that they may never have discovered if not forced upon them.

Still other types of change is fairly easy to take, because the impact is very slight, or the results are neutral. There are hundreds of little changes that take place all of the time, that are either tweaks (a new web interface), improvements (new and improved Tide), repackaging (just about every product on a grocery shelf), anticipated (tax hike) or temporarily inconvenient (road repair). They are not that big and we soon get over them. Or in the case of tax hikes, we have grown so cynical that we meekly surrender to the inevitable.

Finally, some changes are easy to take, because they are self initiated. We like the changes that we are in control of. If I decide to purchase a new car before my car dies, or a look for a new job before I am fired, or buy a brand new laptop, or get a new hair style, etc., etc. I am in control and I see the change as my choice and for my benefit.

These are examples of change that is fairly easy to deal with; however, not all change is as easy and that is what I am struggling to deal with.