If you think you know what change is, and you think it’s hard or challenging or one of the things people fear the most, then you might want to consider thinking about it again.

Change is just really not what you think it is.

One of the terms I’ve heard Richard Hastings use often is Changework, which as first seemed strange and I had no idea what he meant. But after studying his method closely for years I think I am at the beginning of being able to understand what he means.

Here are 5 aspects which come to mind today.

1. Change is work.

Change is work. I think when we get that concept we are one step closer to understanding our own personal challenges and improving our lives in every area.

2. Change is a process.

When we let go of thinking of change as a catastrophic event of some sort and realize that very small shifts in thinking or acting can give us the desired outcomes over time, we can realize change is an ongoing process and not an end result in itself.

3. Change is not an individual thing.

Although we have a lot of individual control over our changework process, change is not a vacuum and it does not happen in isolation. When we change one thing in ourselves it has an effect, directly or indirectly, on everyone we are associated with. Amazing if you think about it, isn’t it?

4. Change is not scary.

Well, some people may start out thinking it is scary or having some sort of anxiety about bad things they think might happen down the road after the change. But in truth, change transforms fear. So even that can be dissolved as courage and confidence grows.

5. Change is the purpose of life.

To grow, change, and develop is the most fundamental and meaningful purpose in life. We do this by knowing our selves, by distinguishing between what leads us upwards towards excellence or what leads us downwards towards devastation. We live out our lives purpose when we pay attention to opportunities for growth and change daily.

You see, change is just not what we think it is. It’s not about just saying, “Ok, this isn’t working. I promise I’ll change.” It’s about looking deep within and understanding the root cause of a challenge and really sitting with the negative emotions and what they tend to lead you to do. Learning to process the negative emotions as they come up in a healthy and productive way which is beneficial for you and others is one of the most rewarding and meaningful things anyone can do. I know because I’ve experienced it for myself and I love sharing the insights which come from the efforts. (Rachel Perry – 28 Feb 2017)