Change happens. It happens in an instant, and it happens over time. With or without our direct intention; and certainly with or without our approval.

It happens when we’re young and it happens when we’re old. It happens internally and externally.

What are we to do with all this change? Do we control it or not? Can we channel it somehow to make the world a better place—or at least our lives a little better? Or perhaps even a few moments or aspects of our lives?

How do we initiate or direct change? How can we respond to change, when it’s imposed on us? How can we go with the flow—the ebb and flow—of all that changes and all that stays the same?

How can we take what we are given and make the world—or our own selves—a little better?

That’s what Tools for Transformation is all about: making a difference; making our own lives and the lives of others better, or more meaningful, or more fun; shifting, growing, changing, as the world changes, and as it stays the same.

So what about these tools? They’re simple, complex, and paradoxical. They’re easy to use and challenging to master. They’re obvious and elusive. They take no effort, and they require careful attention and lots of practice.

The tools are as simple as noticing and as complex as understanding. They work great, except when they don’t—and sometimes even then. We all have tools for transformation, and we’ve been using them since day one. What might be possible if we noticed how these tools work and how to utilize them more effectively?

As with most processes, being and changing—transformation—is enhanced by collaboration. This is the beginning of a conversation. You’re invited to join me in an exploration of our lives: what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next.

We’ll start with noticing. Noticing as a tool for transformation? Yes. It’s the first step in initiating or responding to change. First you notice that something has changed or needs to change.

Luckily for us, we’ve been noticing all our lives. It’s what we’re programmed to do. We notice even when we don’t know we’re doing it. Even when we don’t remember what we noticed.

So for a while, notice what you notice. It might start to change.