The Challenge of Change

It’s amazing to me what information you can find on the internet for free in the matter of seconds. Just a bit ago I looked up a knitting stitch I was having trouble understanding from the picture and explanations in the books I have here at home. And, low and behold in the matter of less than a minute I found a short video clip that helped me see what I was missing.

Not so many years ago a challenge like that might have involved a trip to the nearest knitting store or visiting a friend who knits to find a skilled knitter to show me how to do it. And in less than a minute my dilemma was resolved. An instant fix to a problem I was having.

In my life time there has been a tremendous amount of change. Often I see value in the benefits change has provided. Often I shake my head in frustration longing for the good old days when life was simpler, you knew you’d find the products you’ve come to enjoy on the store shelf each week, and you could get something fixed when it broke or a part wore out. That’s all changed. It’s a challenge to find some products I’ve come to enjoy and finding someone to fix things or locating parts at times can be more hassle than it is worth doing.

I am a “tech idiot”—a description I’ve given me as a way of laughing with myself and my tech follies. It’s also a way to explain to tech savvy people my level of skill when I am trying to communicate with them about things I haven’t the proper words or understanding to communicate clearly to them about.

A few weeks ago the host of my website made some upgrades in the tools used to create the sites they host. I learned of this when I logged into my account to add a new blog post that week. The changes involved in the upgrade challenged me greatly to use and I am still learning how to use them. I am sure I-page is very happy to be offering such new and improved tools to their customers. I however was not at all happy. In fact, I was so frustrated that for about 24 hours I considered whether to stop having a website or move it some place else.

And then, after the frustrated energy inside me dissipated, my wise mind kicked in. And, I was able to see more clearly and realize that no matter what I want technology changes are going to keep right on happening. My minimal skill level will either continue to be a source of frustration to me or I can use each change as an opportunity to learn a new skill or two.

There is no sense swimming up stream against the current of change and waste precious time, energy and peace of mind. It is what it is.

And I am who I am, a generation or two removed from what’s currently being taught in school and it’s a great big world of things to learn.

It will be good for me to remember just how simple and easy it was to locate the solution to my knitting problem when some new “fangled” changed phenomena gets under my skin!

How are you at negotiating through the challenges of change in your life? What tools help you cope?