By Shazad
“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own . . .”
Epictetus
Life is challenging and constant change. There’s always something going on in our personal lives along with some big issue in the world if not a bunch of them. It seems like we never have enough time or preparation for what comes next. The best way to navigate is to transform and refine yourself on a daily basis.
Life has always been hard and humans have always faced uncertainty in a constantly changing world. This realization should help you understand that you and I are not in some strange period of time where ‘nothing like this has happened before’. We’re just like the past generations and we can make it through just like many of them did. It’s true our world is faster-paced than previous generations. It’s also true that the world is more interconnected today than ever before. The fundamental stresses and worries we have are the same as all humans have experienced in the past and the way forward is known to us. We need to be adaptable and continuously improving ourselves. I will offer some guidance on this below.
“Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men.”
The Role of Resilience
The first step is to be able to endure change without breaking. We need to understand how to navigate the winds of change and even use them to our advantage. By learning to stretch, regain balance, and even grow during hard times, we come out on top.
“Just as nature takes every obstacle, every impediment, and works around it—turns it to its purposes, incorporates it into itself—so, too, a rational being can turn each setback into raw material and use it to achieve its goal.”
Marcus Aurelius
Strategies for Transformation
To become the person we need to be and constantly adapt to change, we need to have some strategies we can work on each day.
Your Mindset is the first of these strategies. Cultivate a positive but realistic attitude about where you are in life and what’s happening around you. Focus on what is in your control and realize what is not in your control.
The next strategic tool is Self Care. Make it a point to check in with yourself on how you are doing mentally, physically, and spiritually each day. What’s working for you and what’s not? How can you dial up your well-being in each of these 3 things so you are at least an 8/10?
The third tool you need is a good Support Network which can include professional help, family and friends, mentors, and even the natural environment you live in. Make sure you regularly engage in discussions about the changes and what you are facing. Spend time in green spaces or in water to help you orient yourself to the big picture. Get professional coaching or take a course to help you move forward in life. You don’t have to do this alone and the most successful people as well as those moving the fastest in their transformation journey, have a network of people and environments so you should too!
The fourth and most powerful tool in your strategic journey is Goal Setting. Adapting and improving is an aspect of Human Transformation but you need to have some clear sense of where you are headed and what you need to become in the short term as well as over time. You will need to clearly identify milestones along the way which are the goals you plan to achieve so you know you are headed in the right direction at the correct pace. Once you do, you’ll have the confidence to move forward toward each goal and a clear reason that compels you to stay on course in your journey.
Life will never be easy, except looking back in time. We live in a world of constant and rapid change that doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. The only way to thrive is to move forward with some strategic tools and an understanding that we are all becoming the next and hopefully best person we can be, one day at a time. Happy Awesome Transformation to each of you!
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