Moving Cheese

I read "Who Moved My Cheese?", a short book essentially about change and learning how to adapt to change. It spoke to areas of life that included; career, relationship, money and spiritual health by using four characters by the name of Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw.

Sniff and Scurry were mice, and Hem and Haw were miniature sized people, all of whom act like their names. They worked in teams to work through a maze to find cheese, their sustenance. Sniff was the scout, and Scurry was the one who followed up on Sniffs leads. And although Hem and Haw also worked together to get through the maze, they did it a little differently. They made it through to their cheese...their sustenance, but Hem complained and although Haw continued on, he found it hard to do so with Hem's complaining.

All the characters were metaphors for the acceptance or resistance to change and the cheese stood for what one would like to change. The seven principles being as follows:

Change happens - They keep moving the cheese
Anticipate change - Get ready for the cheese to move
Monitor change - smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old
Adapt to change quickly - The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese
Change - Move with the cheese
Enjoy change - Savor the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese
Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again - They keep moving the cheese

After reading, I thought about the character that I was most like. I really exhibited traits of them all, but I related to Haw the most. Haw had to talk to himself so much. He needed to constantly remind himself that change was not only necessary but good. He wrote messages on the walls of the maze as markers and motivators in the event that he got lost and needed the extra encouragement to continue on the journey. He was "initially hesitant", but "open-minded enough to learn something new, act differently and adapt in time to succeed."

Change hasn't always been my favorite or easy for me. As a matter of fact, the older I get the more set in my ways I become. It is sometimes a fight and complaints are it's companion. But I am realizing that change only comes to coax me out of my comfort zone and challenge me to grander pastures along this journey.

As uncomfortable as change may be, I am glad it is here. I am glad that I am flexible enough to think differently and move when a move is called for. To me a mark of an individual that is ever evolving into who they were created to be.

Corner of Gratitude:
Being okay with change

Pearls of Wisdom:
Recommended read:

Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal With Change In Your Work and In Your Life. 

~Dr. Spencer Johnson

Your Thoughts:
Which character do you relate to most?

Until next time...