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.

It’s so nice to complete a project and have it really complete. When you sit down to dinner, what a delight to have the kitchen already neat and tidy. When you spend time in the garden and allocate the last 10 or 20 minutes to put away your tools, you earn a moment to step back and admire your work.

After the parade
by Gika Rector

Whether your office is a place at the kitchen counter or an entire room, what a difference it can make when you clean up along the way. It’s the difference between a clear, clean workspace and a disastrous mountain of paper. Even when you go paperless, it helps to clean up along the way. A sea of computer files can be just as overwhelming as a mountain of papers.

And what about our personal interactions? Thomas Leonard, the father of modern coaching, said, “When someone is doing something…you must communicate immediately or forever carry the extra burden of your unspoken reaction.” How many people or groups of people do you avoid because of something you didn’t clean up along the way? What if you addressed issues as they came up?

What if you haven’t cleaned up along the way? What if you have some piles of stuff, or baggage, to deal with? Start with baby steps. Don’t try to do it all at once. Pick a place, tackle a few things—keep allowing time to clean up along the way, even in this process—and then get on with the rest of your routine.

Whatever you do, notice. Notice what it’s like when you clean up along the way. Notice what it’s like when you don’t. Notice what it’s like when you go it alone. Notice what it’s like when you find some assistance along the way. Notice what you notice.

if you’re facing a mountain of stuff and don’t want to tackle it alone, consider working with someone like my friend Gayle Goddard, The Clutter Fairy. She’s a brilliant professional organizer. Better than anyone else I know, Gayle has a talent for understanding our relationships with our stuff. She even makes it fun!

If you’re facing a different kind of mountain and don’t want to tackle it alone, consider coaching. Coaching is one way to clean up old ideas and stories and expectations, making room for fresh possibilities. It might look like baby steps, but coaching often leads to surprising transformation. Simple baby step: e‑mail me.

So what to do on those “It’s Monday all day long!” days? Notice. That’s it. Just notice what you notice. Notice all the things that overwhelm you. Notice all the things that are wrong. Notice all the things you should have done, but didn’t. Notice the dirty dishes and the dirty laundry. Notice how your body feels. Notice that you’ve experienced something like this before and you’re still here. Notice what it was that got you through that experience.

Notice what it was like when you got through it.

Notice one thing you can give thanks for.

Notice one thing you like.

Notice one living thing.

Notice your breath.

Notice you.

Notice.

Breathe.

Give thanks.

Live your life.

Have all the fun you can.