Adapt To Change

Although the embracing of the present is an integral step towards spiritual health, being truly present also means being adaptable to change. Like an evolving organism, you must not resist subtle (and not so subtle) shifts that come your way. A resistance to change comes not from being too present or focused, but from being focused on and bound by the shackles of past and future thoughts.

Bruce Lee implored his students to “be like water”. Assume the shape of any vessel you find yourself in. Regardless of your experience or prior knowledge, learn to play different roles as if a stranger to past experience. Simply learn as you go along, and don’t resist change out of fear. Resisting change with any sort of regularity will only create a sense of chaos and disharmony in your daily life.

Imagine how boring life would become if you were fully bound to clock time, knew exactly what was going to happen each day and had everything planned out in advance. Some people try to engineer their lives with this inane predictability and then act surprised when strange neuroses and dissatisfactions pop up. Habit isn’t necessarily harmful, but instead of forcing change away (much like pain or other potentially unpleasant experiences) you should allow it to serve as a catalyst for growth.