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Focusing on Strengths.
Finding Solutions.®

Change

By Anne Brunette, MSW

Quote for the month:
Nothing Endures but Change.
- Heraclitus

 

A former colleague of mine used to say, “If you don’t change, you die.” I can appreciate that as a concept. Change is a part of life. Change is necessary for life. All beings change over time; think most specifically of the caterpillar to the butterfly. It’s one thing to understand this as a concept; it’s another to go through change, whether planned or unplanned, expected or unexpected.

Most of you probably know that Doll and Associates, S.C. has become a part of Agnesian HealthCare’s Outpatient Behavioral Health Services. What an exciting (and somewhat scary) time for those of us directly involved with it. Employees, clients and referral sources alike are affected, at least slightly. The hope and expectation is that this change will be positive on many levels. Regardless of the anticipation and hope that many changes can bring, let’s face it, CHANGE IS HARD!!

If you’re one of those people who can handle whatever comes your way without an ounce of fear, worry or hesitation, that’s great. Most of us are not in that camp. Most of us have at least some fears when things change for us. Many of us are at least somewhat scared when something comes along that upsets our status quo.

I had, for many years, heard about a book called, “Who Moved My Cheese,” by Spencer Johnson, M.D. It was not until recently that I decided to see for myself what it was all about. What a perfect time to consider how each of us deals with inevitable change that comes our way.

The story is about four characters who all deal somewhat differently with change. Their names are, “Sniff” and “Scurry” (they are mice, of course) and “Hem” and “Haw” (Littlepeople). When the cheese that they had become accustomed to was moved one day, they all responded differently. As you can imagine, how they responded determined their success in finding the “new cheese.” Cheese can be career, family life, money, relationships, spiritual peace or anything that you want in life. Take a moment to consider what the “cheese” might be for you right now.

Some lessons that stood out strongly to me were about the power of fear, the draw many seem to have to familiarity, the importance of seeing clearly and planning for/anticipating change, and the power of visualizing where you want to be.

The Power of Fear
Fear can be the driver behind many behaviors. In the story, it paralyzed Hem and Haw for a long time. It stopped them from moving forward at all, and in the process, they lost opportunities all over the place. Their fear of change kept them from embracing the experiences that could have led to more “cheese” than they thought possible. What are you most afraid of? What fear keeps you holding on to old, (possibly moldy) cheese?

Clinging to what is familiar
Many of us are creatures of habit. We cling to what is familiar. We want things to stay the same. We might wonder, “Why me” when unexpected change happens. The reality is that change happens to each of us at some point in time. The question really should be, “Why not me”. Staying in the familiar usually means being stuck and not growing to potential. What are you “stuck” to that is not allowing you to grow?

Planning for and anticipating change
The characters in, “Who Moved My Cheese” anticipated change at various levels. The mice characters were constantly monitoring the level of the cheese. They were working hard and paying attention to the potential changes ahead. Hem and Haw, on the other hand, became complacent. They began to feel entitled to their cheese and missed signals that the cheese was changing, even disappearing and getting moldy. What are you missing that is going on around you?

Seeing where you want to be
Visualizing your “new cheese” can be a valuable way to minimize the fear of letting go of the old. Seeing yourself successfully making changes is powerful. As vividly as possible, picture yourself having what you want. What do you see?

The most important message in the book for me was about enjoying the adventure of change. Sometimes holding tight to what used to be or to what we’re comfortable with keeps us from experiencing great things and meeting new people. We learn a lot from change, especially about ourselves.

On a personal note, change and letting go, for me, has to include a trust in God. I trust that God has some plan that I don’t know about and that I need to be open to so my gifts and talents can be used for a purpose that is beyond my understanding now. That brings more peace and minimizes the fear for me.

Whatever brings that ability to let go and embrace change for you can allow you to find “new cheese” without getting too stuck in fear and worry.

I do trust that this change at Doll and Associates will mean good things for us, for Agnesian HealthCare, for patients and for the community. Let’s enjoy the adventure! Look for more good things to come!

Resources
Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson, M.D., 1998. www.whomovedmycheese.com

For more great articles, links, and recommended books regarding mental health and relationship issues, check out our website.