Change

“There are three constants in life…
change, choice and principles.”
– Stephen Covey

Change
In 1932 the author of “The Wisdom of the Body” – WB Canon coined homeostasis. He described homeostasis as the property of a system that regulates its internal environment to maintain a stable, relatively constant level of some variable, such as body temperature.

Think of what would happen if your body temperature dropped 10 degrees or jumped 5 degrees higher than normal. You would either go into shock or have a seizure. Our brain is continuously monitoring our body for change and adjust to maintain a status quo of sorts. The balance can be physiological or psychological.

Today, psychologist recognize that our need for stability is not only physiological, it’s also psychological. In many ways, our habits and aversion to change are neurologically wired in our brains.

Choice
Change happens whether we choose to or not. We are either an active participant in life or just existing. The key thing to remember is: the very nature of our existence is based on change and our reaction to it. The weather turns, and we respond accordingly to stabilize our body temperature. That could be the reason why we crawl out from a warm bed, instead of jump eagerly into a room cooled by the night air.

Life doesn’t just “happen.” What is happening in the present moment is based on actions and decisions that preceded it. 

Principle
Everyone has a different belief system, your guiding principles may be based on religion, culture or society. Think about your guiding principles and how they affect your life.

“How” one gets themselves into a situation might not be as important as asking “why.” Understanding ones guiding principles, will give you a deeper understanding of your own actions and decisions.

Notice the patterns that exist as it relates to the decisions you are making. Becoming mindful of your actions will help understand your guiding principles and what informs them. 

Be curious about your principles, no matter how positive they might be, there is always room for improvement. What works today, might work even better tomorrow as we journey through our ever changing world.

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