Is Your Change Attitude Working For You?
I’m writing this note returning home on a plane from visiting my 96 year-old grandmother in Phoenix. I know I’ve mentioned her before in my blog posts and newsletters, but each time I can’t help from remarking on how much she has lived and seen and how much she has adapted through the years.
Last time I visited, I got her an iPad and now, at 96, she’s a burgeoning iPad pro. In fact she’s moving into gaming so I downloaded some brain-training games to keep challenging her while I was there.
As we were playing with the iPad in her lobby where there’s wifi, one of her friends came up and remarked how she can’t bother with these “new things” but that my grandmother is always willing to try something new.
Which type are you? Are you – like my Grandmother, willing to master new technology to keep learning, growing and staying in touch (she’s a master at Facebook to monitor her grandkids’ lives)? Or are you like her friend, content to stay with what’s comfortable and resistant to change?
To be honest, both can be just the appropriate response. Newness for the sake of newness can be like searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – you’re often frustrated and never there. And general resistance to change can make others feel like they are dragging a tantrum-ing toddler out of the grocery store when they’re trying to introduce new ideas to you.
In general, I take after my Grandmother. To my husband’s dismay, I confess I adore trying new technology – as long as it solves a real problem. iWatch – yes I have one. Amazon Echo – my kids adore ours. Yet even I, when learning about Instagram or Pinterest thought, “Why would I need another place to waste time?”
The key question really to ask is “How is it working for you?” If you’re happy with your rate of change – great! However, if you feel like you’re constantly trying to implement new solutions with so-so results, or if you sense you’re too fixed in your old habits and ways – maybe it’s worth revisiting. Try a slight tweak to your current default and see where that takes you.
