Appreciating consistency in times of change
- camilladegerth
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 24
In times of rapid change it can be extra beneficial to recognise consistency and all those things that are stable around us. Let’s be honest humanity is exhausted from all the change at the moment. I say this with the privilege of having honest conversations with a large number of people of different backgrounds across the globe giving evidence of similar experiences and stories. The demands on people may vary but the fact that decisions need to be made and actions taken on sometimes uncertain or unreliable facts is true. When people are trying to do their best in new situations it drains energy.
A word I have heard more often than before is chaos.
According to Merriam Webster chaos is defined as per below:
“Chaos refers to a complete state of disorder, confusion, and lack of organization. It signifies a chaotic, messy, or unpredictable situation, often characterized by total disarray, mayhem, or turmoil. In science, it refers to complex systems highly sensitive to initial conditions, while mythologically it represents the formless, void space preceding the universe's creation”.
So when people express receiving requests by leaders to give reports that have not been created, on facts that are not measured, in timeframes that are not possible, from people who usually don’t perform these tasks, it can be called chaos as it’s perceived as disarray, mayhem or turmoil. Leaders who are desperately trying to find information to make decisions in new situations. Organisations are complex systems sensitive to the conditions. Chaos can lead to strong emotions and a downward spiral causing more chaos.
As a coach I have the pleasure to hear about various methods to deal with the stress of constant change or chaos. Many love running and exercising, some choose to cook, paint or listen to music. Sometimes we have time to create routines that help us show up more resilient and sometimes we have to be ready to act on a moments notice. What do you do when you are asked to make an impactful decision on short notice without the facts needed?
Some describe this moment as having an elevated heart rate, tunnel vision, perspiration, shortness of breath. Can you add some symptoms you have experienced when faced with a challenging situation? I have sympathy with leaders in these situations, not only do they have to make these risky decisions, they may also face the risk of consequences if they get it wrong. This is perhaps what defines today’s environment even more than the chaos, it's harsher.
So now that I have painted a gloomy picture I would like to invite you back to notice everything that has not changed. The sun still rises in the morning, the birds still sing. To avoid making assumptions I invite you to write your own list of what has not changed in your life. Noticing all that is still the same can be grounding and worth celebrating. It needs to be an intentional exercise and the more you practise the easier it will get.
Many people say they don’t like mindfulness exercises because they don’t feel comfortable with the thoughts that enter their minds. When not used to strong emotions I can appreciate that it feels scary. That is why I would like to share this very grounding exercise, not only does it give witness of thousands of years of consistency it allows you to slow down. You don’t have to think until you are ready for those thoughts to arrive, all you have to do is watch and listen to the Elks migrating to summer pasture on SVT Play.
They use the same path every year, for generations, at the same time of year. Celebrate the consistency and peace! Listen, you can hear the river and perhaps a bird.
Do you notice your heart slowing down, your breath getting deeper and entering your stomach, your mind opening up to more focus and clarity. You have about a month to watch this migration live and I’m sure you can find recordings if you get hooked.
I would love to hear your stories about how you used Elk migrations to make better decisions, to ensure your lived up to behaviour you aspired for such as perhaps curiosity, courage and compassion, to be present and see the world and the people around you instead of the change and chaos we create.
Comments