What is your ex"change" rate?

We can embrace change by exchanging trust and accountability with our colleagues, family, and even friends.  Today isn't as well formed as my normal posts, but I have been addicted to Twitter lately, so it is starting to invade my thinking and force more compact statements which sometimes connect but not always.  In my mind these ideas all flow. 

Every day remains an opportunity.  The more I say this, which I do a lot, the more I think it sums of an attitude of accepting and dealing with a constant state of change. This is a reality in our world.  I add the point that to survive in a constant state of change, requires a constant exchange of trust, collaboration, and cooperation rather than competition. Constant change is hard and requires a mature perspective which I may never achieve but each day is an opportunity to try harder to change.

Change is an impact of growth, but it can also be a leading indicator of dysfunctional system. Discernment in this space is tricky but maintaining perspective is key to any valid evaluation. The idea that when the rate of change increases too high, something is indeed dysfunctional resonates strongly with me. Could be an IT system behind the needs of a company. A business that can't keep up with demand. A person that doesn't understand how they fit into the world, or even a culture that doesn't realize how ineffective most of our "illusions of control" (e.g. politics, economics, etc)

Too much change is definitely a leading indicator of failure, but growth requires change, and if you aren't growing, you are dying.. Change is hardest when we are complacent & selfish. To make change easier, one must strive toward doing the right thing ALL THE TIME. Stop looking at the ME and start thinking about the WE. When you couple this fear with an overwhelming desire to conform in most of us we can get into a dangerous cycle of avoidance that only deepens our fears.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?" Marianne Williamson

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.
Margaret Mead

I learned the value of hard work by working hard.
Margaret Mead

Thanks to friends and colleagues for some of these words, contributions to these ideas, from FB discussion, threads and even a few real "face to face" discussions.  Meredith, Scott, Tracee, Dave, Chris, Mark, John, Don