Navigating those constant winds of change
The rapidly accelerating pace of change can leave us breathless. Sometimes we’re striving so hard to keep up that we struggle to pause and get our bearings. If we’re not careful, we can risk burning out.
So, how do we learn to manage change, to breathe, and to keep heading in the right direction?
A longer view can help us gain perspective. Most of us have heard the expression, “There is nothing permanent except change.” What we may not know is that these words were written more than 2,500 years ago by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. Change has been part of life on Earth since long before history began recording it.
Today, March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity, and we don’t have to think very hard to remind ourselves how far we have already travelled on that road, even if we still have a long way to go.
Hard-won changes to legislation, attitudes and social norms have opened doors that had been locked against women for centuries. Many people alive today remember when they were dismissed as second class, simply because they were women, or people of colour, or anyone else deemed “other” by the dominant group.
Not all change is positive, however, and we sometimes find ourselves coping with negative change that catches us unaware. And sometimes we find ourselves in a static situation that needs to change, but we don’t know where to start.
Managing change successfully is essential in our lives and our businesses. At the Valley Women’s Business Network (VWBN) networking meeting in New Minas on March 8, VWBN executive member Rachel Cooper will present on the topic “how to manage change without losing your mind.”
Cooper is no stranger to change. She has lived and worked in four different countries, sold up everything to attend university in her mid-30s, and switched careers mid-stream. She has also come to realize that feeling overwhelmed, stuck and incompetent in the face of change is a normal part of the journey.
In a workshop-style presentation, Cooper will explore the kinds of change we can face – wanted and unwanted – and guide us through a change-management exercise. She will share tips and strategies for tapping into our power during times of flux.
We are not powerless even when buffeted by the winds of change. A modern quotation, attributed to various people including Dolly Parton, reassures us of this: “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”
Weather permitting, our meeting will take place in person in New Minas March 8 at 6:30 p.m. Otherwise, we’ll hold it online and details will be provided when you register. To attend this free networking event, register by emailing programs@vwbn.ca with the subject line VWBN March meeting.
Happy International Women’s Day!
For more than 20 years, the Valley Women’s Business Network has worked together to support, educate and promote women in business in the Annapolis Valley. In this monthly column, we share news, interviews, business tips and more. For information about VWBN, visit https://vwbn.ca/.