Welcome to another in the Fresh Start Mondays series, where we change the narrative. Today, we will continue with the CHANGE series and we will be focusing more specifically on some variables of change such as types and factors affecting change.
Types of Change
As discussed previously change is a constant we encounter in life and has several types. These include change that happens arounds us, change that happens to us, change that happens within us and change that we make happen.
- Change that happens arounds us speaks to those things that happens in our environment, that doesn’t necessarily affect us directly or significantly.
- Change that happens to us describes change that is heavily influenced by external forces and affects us directly, such as the loss of job or a loved one.
- Change that happens within us describes change that is heavily influenced by self. It could be responding to a change that happened to us or around us. For example, since the pandemic many of us, have been more deliberate in practicing gratitude. This normally causes a shift in mindset.
- Change that we make happen is born out of the change that happens within us. This is a proactive approach where following the change in mindset comes the change in action. Such as, observing the change in food security, one may opt to start a home garden and cultivate as much as possible in an effort to secure food. It may also be taken further where you become an advocate for your cause.
Taking a good look at these types, we realize that as the types progress there is a shift from heavily influenced by external forces to becoming more centred on the individual. We notice that the said individual starts to take more personal responsibility for what is happening around him/her, thereby initiating change.
Factors affecting change
There are several factors affecting change… Though change is a constant we must face, a principle of creation really. For without change, everything would be static and life cannot be supported in a static state. This makes appreciating change so very important. There are several factors affecting change, such as, reasons for change, influences of change and the environment.
- Reason for change – in order for life to continue we must change to meet the demands of life. These demands could include re-organize a routine to be more productive, dropping a bad or non-productive habit or adapting to become the best version of ourselves.
- Influences of change – there are many things that influence change, it could be a changing environment, as well as, it could be the growth of the individual or a group thereof. Our mindset, attitudes and our ability to get something done greatly influence change. It determines whether we will put any priority of the change process and how actively we will participate in this process.
- Environment – the environment in which the change will be practiced will greatly affect change. It will determine whether the change is accepted. The motivation for the change and the culture of the environment is of importance here. Usually when the motivation for the change can be seen as value adding then the environment is usually receptive of the change. The culture of the environment will determine its norms, and this will influence whether the change is seen as value adding.
In the words of Dr Munroe, “change will happen to you, with you, around you and without you”. It is therefore, up to us on a personal level to use what we know about change and its variables, to manage the change we experience in such a way that we are not left behind but we adapt to meet the demands of life.
Let us therefore, adapt to meet the demands of life and change the narrative…
Well said