Easy Change Strategies (15)

Some  change is really hard to achieve, isn't it? One of my goals was to have a very neat house.
And somehow, over the years we acquired so many things that it looks more like a warehouse. O.k. so we are pack rats. But that isn't really an excuse, or is it? To achieve change and a neat house we got information on how to go about it. But that is the problem: If it has letters printed on it, we keep it. Just in case it contains the very information we will need at a future time!
Here is the funny part. Our flights were canceled today and our daughter went through our drawers full of "gift items" for those "just in case" needs. And what does she find at the bottom of the drawer - a booklet entitled "20 Minutes to a Clutter-Free House! (Stash it or Trash it!) How appropriate!
I guess I'll have to keep that handy for when we come back from our trip and then follow the steps. That should get me at least somewhere on the path to a neat house.
Easy Change Strategy: When you don't know what to do, get a manual (or ask an expert) then
FOLLOW THE STEPS!.
 

Easy Change Strategies 14

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Past the baker's dozend! Wow. Who would have thought I can make it this far. And then again, I thought this would be a much more regular activity. CHANGE did happen. In part because I acted, and in part because of influences, and isn't that often the case? We start something and have a very clear (or fuzzy?) idea of where we want to go with that and then "things start to happen". And soon your path is no longer "your path" but you seem to be part of another path.
Well, that is what live is all about. We do and the universe does its thing and soon something different altogether is progressing.So how can we make CHANGE easy? Practice! If you've done it once, you can do it twice, just easier! Just jump of the board??

The main problem, however for me and perhaps for you too, is the "hump" - the barrier. The inertia that keeps me from getting going. It isn't really such a big thing and yet it stops me from doing something. And when I finally do it, it's really neat and I like the result and it makes me feel good. But until I do, it is always the "big thing" that I procrastinate to do. One way to "kick myself in the behind" is commitment. I know, easier said than done! Quite literally in this case. So I picked up a method from one of the workshops I attended: When I know I don't like to do something or it seems to be a drag or such, then I commit verbally to others, tell them what it is I will do. It seems that then I have to do it, since I said it. There is of course a strong "beware" here. And that is the broken promise. If you say you want to do something and you don't do it your subconscious is taking note - makes you feel guilty and bad.   Here is an insert of a website I saw about ...well have a look ( I don't know them)

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Easy Change Strategies (13)

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Change just happened. Now what do I do? Embrace it! Remember:

Don't think about the past - it's history!

Don't worry about the future - it's a mystery!

Concentrate your attention on the here and NOW 

because it is a gift that's why we call it the present!
I just started to read a fascinating book: RAPT by Winnifred Gallagher.
Subtitle: Attention and the Focused Life 
For all those ADD and ADHD and those self proclaimed "Renaissance Men" (i.e. me!)
So far I learned (re-learned?) that your life is progressing along the thoughts you have.
The more thoughts you spend on a subject the more it becomes your life's subject.
So if you don't like what is happening to you....spend time thinking of something more pleasing to you and that way you can change your life. Really? 
Well there is the proof in "synchronicity" - Life Coaches will tell you to "fake it 'till you make it".
And then there are those who say: "If you want to be a "smith" than you have to spend time with "smiths" and horses of course! Oh and just watching them doesn't really count! You got to learn to do the "smithing". Take a course. Read a book (didn't I mention that before?). Talk to the people in the "smith" business. In other words you need to submerge yourself into the new field and soon you will be part of it. 
They (whoever they are) say: We will have more than 3 possibly 7 different occupations during our lifetime. Well, I had a few - savings banker; local commercial banker; international banker;
investment banker; unemployed banker (twice); hospital administrator; local government administrator; consultant; internet business owner; relocation manager; storyteller(that one I liked best - that's why I still spend time with other storytellers!).
It isn't important what you were - it is important what you do and how!
So follow Nike's motto "Just Do It" - see where it gets you.
And remember if you fall flat on your face, I'll be watching you.....how long does it take you to get back up again? (see previous posting!)





 

Easy Change Strategies (12)

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Back again from my trip to Asheville, NC and Jonesborough, TN. A real "get away"! Every once in a while it is important to do something just for yourself. Do something you haven't done. Experience something you always wanted but haven't yet - that is living the change you wish for.
I attended the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN. It is amazing to see, how some people can shape the story they are telling. It is wonderful to hear their story and be transported to different times and areas to relive the story.
It also reminded me how important it is to stay in the company of people who share your interests. While change is enevitable, there is also the need to keep somethings unchanged.
We need an "anchor" or "harbor" in our life. Make sure you know who or what that is for you. For me it is "stories" - telling and listening to and being with the tellers.
I also am trying to get back in touch with friends from times past. Hearing how they are and using the new digital medias to re-connect with them. Hooray for the modern times!
If you are interested, you can follow me  on Twitter @NYDigger.

Easy Change Strategies (11)

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Time sure flies, doesn't it? I promised myself to blog diligently. And what happens.... Twitter!
If you want to know where I was, look for "NYdigger" at Twitter. It is such an interesting tool. I am still learning. Just like blogging, it is still a "new thing" for me. But what has to happen before it becomes a habit? Continued action over time.
So here we are again at  Easy Change Strategies.
On the weekend I did something new. 
Have you? Remember, I said it would be easier to change, if you continue to try something new. 
I went to a workshop on "NLP and Health" it was given by Kevin Creedon and my "old" friend/trainer Doug O'Brien. For details check out their web-sites:

http://www.kevincreedon.net/

http://www.ericksonian.com/

These are two trainers who have a huge amount of experience and have worked with many colleagues in the field of NLP, Ericksonian Hypnosis and other methods. 

So how does that help you change easily? Well, sometimes it just takes a little nudge and one hears of a new method (we did in this course) and "voila" there is a change taking place.

So in addition to reading and searching the internet there is, of course, always the good old "attend a class" to learn something new - and change is happening.

One more aspect for you today:

How do you know whether you have changed?

Think about it. What would it be like, look like, feel like? Give it some thought and write down what your changed situation would be - be specific! If you would rather paint a picture or use another method of making the outcome of your change measurable for yourself, that would be o.k. too! I have a treasure map (see posting #1) which I look at and see "I'm not where I want to be" YET! But then, I don't have to achieve everything in one day or one week or even one year.
We set the time frame ourselves and we can adjust it too. Wow, what a concept (for all you Type A guys). However, if you don't set a time frame at all, you might not get anywhere anytime soon.
Think Yogi Berra (posting #!)
So, establish your wanted outcome. Determine when you would like to achieve it and then start with little steps towards your goal. 
Speaking of goal setting - next time I'll talk about "Strategies for Success". How to create your dreams and achieve them. Remember: "I'll be back!"

Easy Change Strategies (10)

During

During a time of change it helps to have someone to lean on for support! Make sure you have a variety of supporters who assist you with all your needs, emotionally, physically and practically. Tell them what you hope to get from them and make sure they know that you will reciprocate!

Easy Change Strategies (9)

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Welcome!
Still more change to come? YES! Just when you think you have it all figured out, something comes up and there you go...CHANGE has happened again. Sound familiar? It seems to me that is what I constantly experience. There was, however, a wonderful analogy in one of the Insight Educational Seminars that I took more than 10 years ago. So what was it? Well, here goes:
If you take a plane from New York to London (and wouldn't we like to do that?) how much is it on course during the flight? In percent - how much is the plane directly on course or is it at times not quite on course? Think about it and then write down the answer. No, no cheating - I'm not going to give you the answer right away. Just take into consideration the wind that blows in different directions depending on your flying height. Also, isn't the planet rotating during the approximately 8 hours that the plane is in the air? AND isn't the most direct route not necessarily due east but across the northern part of the globe? Aha, you say. I get it. The plane is not always on the direct course. And right you are! But how much percentage-wise? 50% or is 45% or only 25% because the pilot must know where she is going? Or is there a constant change of direction and adjustment at all times? Are we there yet? Yup. It's 97%. Which means the pilot indeed must constantly adjust or CHANGE the direction of the plane's flight. So what has that to do with "Easy Change Strategies".
Well, if the pilot has to constantly adjust direction, how long can he wait to do the change? Not very long! His job is to change quickly and decisively. Remember the first blog and Yogi Berra?
Wherever you go - there you are!? Yes, exactly. But if that is not where you want to be - than you have to adjust course. From off-course to on-course. Again and again. And soon it is just a matter of doing what you know must be done. Now we're at "Easy Change Strategies". Just Do It, said the Nike ad. And so: "Let's Do It!"
But remember, the pilot makes minimal adjustments and so do we. It is supposed to be EASY!
Something which you can do. Then just do it. And look around. Are you in the place you want to be?
If yes, good. If not: adjust again a little and so on. Remember the first small steps. Yup, I know you have read the first BLOGS.
Let me know what happened. Are you there yet?

Easy Change Strategies (8)

Cab Calloway via last.fm

Hi again!
While some of the strategies mentioned can be offered to other people it needs to be clear:

The only person we can change is.....US!

To be honest, I sometimes forget that too and then I usually get into trouble. One can of course offer change strategies to others, I hope!
So let's journey on. My eight's posting and I have already passed the 3 week period it supposedly takes to change a habit. Well, I wonder if I have changed into a blogger?

One of the hardest "easy change strategies" is the STRETCH. By that I mean you do something that is out of your comfort zone.
Like, two weeks ago I did go soaring for the first time. To fly in the air without a motor was absolutely wonderful! Did I have to go out of my comfort zone? Well, yes somewhat. I had to trust a young man who looked like he could be my grandson. And I had to trust a plane that literally had "band-aid" keeping some of the "skin" on the plane, was rusty and old too. But it flew like a bird!
Was that a stretch? No. I was doing something I had never done before and trusted someone I didn't know. But really "I wanted it". If you want to feel free, try soaring!

If you want to try something different. Volunteer! I once volunteered to assist with a concert. A board member was to be picked up and I had to help get her to where she needed to be. Who do I wind up waiting with for his wife......Cab Calloway! That was a thrill. He did flash that signature smile of his and we had a brief chat. So surprise yourself and see where you can do some good and perhaps life will have a surprise for you as well!
Let me know what happened.

Easy Change Strategies (7)

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Hi everyone!
Are you having the seven year itch? Want to change the way you interact with your significant other? Sometimes other Change Facilitators can say it so much better:
On 8/1/09 the New York Times published an article by Laura A. Munson
"Those Aren't Fighting Words, Dear" - Very eloquent and to the point.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/fashion/02love.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Laura%20A.%20Munson&st=cse

If you paste this into your browser it should get you to the article. If not it is worth the extra search time at the NY Times.
I would love to hear how you keep your marriage happy and the family together.
Tweet me @NYdigger

Easy Change Strategies (6)

Some change "happens" - just when you least want it. Just look at the current economic situation. Losing your job has effected millions and caused disastrous changes to their personal lives. How can we prevent that? The answer is simple - We can not!
So how do we deal with "disaster"? That will be a workshop given soon in the New York City area (look for the side bar notification).
But as a free bonus for reading this far....here are some suggestions.
Easy Change Strategy - look what others in your situation have done.
When I was laid off from a job in international banking, I found the "Forty Plus" group. A group of unemployed executives assisting each other in dealing with the job loss and preparing for the job hunt.
Easy Change Strategy -find neighborhood groups assisting with job hunts (churches, temples, professional business groups)
Easy Change Strategy - ask the government for help, i.e. state and county often have Department of Labor offices especially designed to help the unemployed (in my town its called
"One Stop" office. They have great resources!)
The important part is "not to wind up on the couch" -Do something - ANYTHING!
It will make you feel better, I promise!

This is of course from personal experience in my family. Both my wife and I have been laid off at one time in the last 5 years (and I have had more than 3 different jobs).
Did I give up? Nearly so! Do I like what I am doing now from 9 to 5? NO! But it pays the rent and has great benefits which came in handy when the latest "Change" hit us....My wife is diagnosed with breast cancer. Another unwanted change. And it really changes your perspective on the daily life!
Stay in touch with your firends. They are your back-up team!

Easy Change Strategies (5)

In case you wondered ...this is me "NYdigger"

Hi there. Some changes come as a surprise, like when you wake up really early in the morning from the rising sun over the seaside horizon. This is where I would like to work from time to time. Have to put this on my wish-list! What's on yours? Let me know.

Easy Change Strategies (4)

Mark Twain via last.fm

Hi there!
After you've heard some of my suggestions on how to change, I thought it's also time to share with you how I change.
Step One:
I read, read, read..... (I believe it's a quote from Mark Twain).
In the "old days" I used to read magazines, newspapers and books.
Now I read some of that AND lots of online content.
Unfortunately, I have the appetite of a Renaissance man, i.e. I am interested in many different aspects: Music, dance, theater, paintings, etc. What has that to do with CHANGE?
Well the more you know the more you have aspects /points of views for any situation.
Of course as change facilitator I am always looking for information, which can be of interest to my clients. Let me give you an example:
One of my clients is a highly trained former international banker with experiences in the health care and government administration (i.e. me!). I want to change my current position, so I am looking for aspects that appeal to me and which can help me advance my situation.
Learning how to blog is certainly one way of doing something different.
Still, I do look for the practical advice. Here is one which I copied from the Wall Street Journal onto my Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=122313216196&h=sIlLg&u=Bhz7L&ref=nf

See what I didn't learn yet? I missed copying the actual link. But if you paste this into a new browser window, you'll get to an article on "How to Take an Assessment Test"
(and don't we all love to take those??).

And for those of you who would like to know more about Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Ericksonian Hypnosis here are two links to the people who introduced me to the world of NLP:

NLP Group Seminars International: http://www.purenlp.com/
and
Douglas O'Brien and Associates: http://www.ericksonian.com

If you like to learn in a fun and entertaining way - these are great guys to learn from.
(and they don't even pay me for this plug!)

There is one more TIP for today, one I learned a long time ago from an "old" lady, who unfortunately has since passed away. I went to a class at the Learning Annex (www.learningannex.com/ ) in New York City:
"Speak and Grow Rich" - There must have been 200 people in the room and I will tell you
that everyone of us was within minutes fascinated by the woman up front: Ms. Dotty Walters, the founder of the International Speakers Bureau
She really knew her stuff. But the most memorable (for me) point she made was this:
When you get junk mail, most of us are frustrated and try to get rid of it. I, however, (said Dottie), I look at those pieces of junk mail as opportunities to find new business ideas.
Looking for needs that can be filled.
So here is your "homework": Find a need that others have - you don't have to fill it, unless you want to. Just start looking for opportunities for someone to fill a need.
That will get you going......or not?
Let me know how this works for you. I am looking for feed back!
See ya.

Easy Change Strategies (3)

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And then there were three!
I hope you had fun trying some of the recommended strategies. For those, who already discarded them.....tsk tsk!! Remember that saying: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"
Any real lasting change requires a minimum of 3 weeks (21 days that is!) of repetition or you can call it continued practice of the strategy.
Remember the time you learned to walk? Of course not, we were to busy figuring it out! But if you ever watched a toddler making her first steps....
and oops there she is on the diaper padded behind. Now there are three kinds of kids:
1) the ones who lie around and wait quietly until someone notices and comes and picks them up
2) the ones who right away let you know, this is not what they want - SCREAM is how they get some one to pick them up
3) the ones who look around, take in their environment and once they find the target of their attempt to get up and walk, they start crawling (that they already know how!).
For us adults it comes out to this: Are you a "whiner", a "waiter" or a "go getter"?
In any case, we didn't learn to walk in one try or in one week either. So if you are serious about changing the situation, relationship, career or whatever, remember that it will take some time and effort.
One particular strategy, which I have used in business, is called "X-minus-days" (at least I called it that). Say on the 20th of the month you have to deliver a report/study-paper or project.
The 20th is "X" then count how many days you have till the twentieth, that's "minus days".
Let's say there are 5 days. So you can divide the project into 5 day parts. Each day you have to accomplish 20%. WOW that was easy wasn't it? All of a sudden what looked like a mountain, is only 20%. The trick of course is to always leave a little extra time for the last day. There is always something that seems to need tweaking! Then of course you can cut the daily work into hourly objectives (possibly involving others?) And "voila" you have a plan AND a time-table!
In Neuro-Linguistic Programming it's called "chunking down".
Currently I am reading a book that was written in 1996 by Steven K. Scott, Co-Founder of
American Telecast Corporation (the ones who created infomercials with celebs like Cher etc.)
He calls it the Law of Dream Conversion: Convert dreams into goals, goals into tasks, tasks into steps! (Works even now 13 years later in the new age of i-video)
So try the down chunking and let me know how it worked for you!

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Easy Change Strategies Two

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So you came and looked again? Have you changed yet in the direction you wanted?
Whether you wanted or not - you HAVE changed (you're a week older, if nothing else).
Lost some hair? Gained some weight?
Millions of cells in your body have been replaced!
And all that without us noticing it.
Change can surprise you. Ever met an old classmate and thought boy did (s)he age!
Guess who else? Duh!
What I'm saying is.....change does not have to be difficult or requires always a great deal of effort. It can happen fast, even instantaneous,
So let's go for some more "Easy Change Strategies":
A Buddhist monk once introduced me to a very interesting way to change my perspective: A walking meditation. Preferably walk barefoot. Concentrate on the feet touching the ground. Feel it! Experience the walk as it is created by your muscles and bones moving your body one step at a time. Walk slowly. Try to notice all the little movements in your feet, your legs and the rest of the body.
I noticed that when I move slowly I have a hard time not to wobble! Interesting.
Of course this turned out to be an exercise in awareness training. Oh yeah, and then you notice that you are much more connected to your environment. So that changed.
And just when you had experienced that change the monk suggested to walk slowly
BACKWARDS. Wow what a difference that made.

You probably ask yourself, what the .....does that have to do with me wanting to change my job, or relationship or personal circumstance? Well, surprise yourself and try this exercise. You will find that your perspective changes. And if nothing else, you then have another point of view as perspective for the situation you want to change.
Another solution might suggest itself almost without trying, change happens!

Look forward to more "Easy Change Strategies" and Achieve Your Goals!

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Change Made Easy

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Welcome to my BLOG
It's a work in progress and so it will change a lot.
But that is o.k. since it will be dealing with change - for now. Who knows what the change will bring?
They say: the only constant in life is CHANGE. So might as well get used to it.
If only it would be so easy. But, hey wait, that's were I come in....I'm a change facilitator, i.e.
I make change easy.
Mostly for others though - seems change for me is just as hard as for anyone else. UGH!
But it is actually not bad when your inner voice pops up and says: "Hey, you know how to handle that"
And than the right brain starts clicking into action and WOW soon there is a plan.
And where there is a plan, there is a way
Change made easy. So here is the

First rule of change
Taking stock (make a list or write down what your current situation is)
Then write down all the things which you don't like about that situation.
Now we know where you stand and what is bugging you, or? (Is anything else rubbing you the wrong way? Put it on the paper. This is your LIST of STUFF to get rid of.

Second rule of change
Make a LIST of Resources. What do you know that can help you with the STUFF?
Who do you know (and trust) to help you with your STUFF? Where else can you find resources?
From local library to the Community College. From old (and long lost) friends to organizations that help with your STUFF. And of course there is that know-it-all, the INTERNET. Really, there is an amazing amount of information on practically any subject available!).
Try it you'll like it!

Third rule of change
You know what bothers you (that's your Point A) and you have tools/resources to help you get away from there. So now you have to determine where you want to go/be when you change from your current STUFF. It's called Point B. In order to make this even better and easier, here are practical ways to select Point B:
Visualize yourself in the perfect surroundings. Make it in color, dream of the smells and tastes and hear the sounds that go with it. (I'm thinking Luau in Maui, right now). But what ever you want to achieve, where ever you want to be in life. Day-Dream about it!
If you feel like it, take a recorder and tell all the details to your recorder. Or write it down.

Then there is the "Treasure Map".
Take a big card board and onto it you paste pictures and items which symbolize (for you) the outcome you want to achieve. (Mine has pictures of places I want to go to and representations of what it is I want to do. Perhaps in one of the the next versions of the blog I can post a picture of my treasure map.)
The important part here is to make the place you want to be at or the situation you want to reach as clear to yourself as possible. ONLY when you know where you want to go/be will you have a chance to get there!
Otherwise you'll have to follow Yogi Berra who said: "Where ever you go - there you are!" (In the digital age you can of course also create anything on the computer, etc.)
But it is also a good kinetic/tactile experience to touch the paper and items.
So now you have the short version of 1,2, 3 - Change Made Easy

1 Find out what you want to change
2 Find resources to help you achieve change
3 Be clear about the outcome - where you want to wind up

More on how to change easily - next time. So come back next week and there will be more!

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