I just finished Neale Donald Walsh's book, "When Everything Changes, Change Everything." Often we look at change with fear or apprehension; Walsh's book shifts that perspective completely.

When I am the one initiating the change I look at the change as welcome. Looking for, and starting a new job for example, is a big life change and a thrilling experience. When something unexpected happens that I would tag as "good," it's also exhilarating, and even more fun because it's serendipitous, like winning the lottery. However, when something unexpected presents itself that I would initially tag as "bad," I'll feel nervousness, anxious, or fearful. I recently broke down with my son's car uphill, on a hot day on a busy road, and had to be towed - definitely unexpected, and definitely not fun.

Walsh's premise is that all change is ultimately positive, and to embrace all change without resistance, because all change moves stalemates forward and promotes personal development. His premise is that all "bad" change ends up being "good" change eventually. He invites us to test this theory by picking a negative event from our life and inspecting it from the hindsight-is-always-20/20 perch. Turns out that our son's car was at the end of its useful life, confirmed by two mechanics, and it was much better that we discovered it here at home where we could help, than risking his breaking down on his way to college. All's well that ends well.

Think back to something unpleasant that happened to you some time ago, then look at the later consequences or its influence on your personal development. Definitely a new way to look at change. What do you think?