Tag Archives: change

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Technologic Change is Good

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We live in a time when our technical infrastructure is being constantly enhanced.  I am very puzzled by the resistance by some to these improvements.

Although to be honest, updates do affect me significantly given my complex home network and associated self-maintained infrastructure and often much work is required to integrate the changes.

Logical Approach

On the whole though, muttering and complaining aside, once I have adapted and received the benefits, you would be hard pressed to convince me to go back.

Some though refuse to accept the improved processes, ie., more productive or secure and resist adoption as long as they can.  Even when logic dictates the change has more pro’s than ons.

Over 80 countries around the world have a Real Time Payments (RTP) system.  Not Canada yet, although we have been working on it for over 5 years.  I suspect the big banks in Canada don’t want to let go of the current ‘float” based system.

Online Billing

RTP will greatly advance the productivity gains associated with our current on-line billing systems which have been eagerly adopted by most of the population.

Although some of the older generation still illogically resist these enhancements it is mainly an emotional response.  Personally I look forward to the continued enhancements, they do contribute to making my life easier once I overcome my natural initial resistance to change.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes, Uncategorized

Uncontrollable Changes

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Over the last couple of months I have really encountered the impact of changes outside my control.  Naively, many years ago, I registered my own domain, implemented a Dynamic Domain Name Service, created some web sites, added application servers like mail and such.

Then I sat back thinking I would enjoy the fruits of my labours for years to come.  Not so.  Over the years the hours of support needed to maintain my technology has been very significant.  Not because I changed anything first, my changes were to keep up with the changes all around me.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

A recent example of this, just one of many over the last 20 plus years, was a change to the the way “Lets Encrypt” (a free certificate authority service) , validated the ssl certificate they issued.

As a result my renewal at the end of April failed and since I was on a trip out of the country, even with my remote access I could not fix it until my return ho e.  Frustrating.

As a result, it was very difficult to access my websites as encrypted requests via ssl got errors.  Also the self signed certificate on my router, which I used for remote access stymied me form correcting the renewal.

Nothing New

Of course this constant change in technical environments, software and hardware, is not new and over the years I have asked myself many times “Why did this stop working?”

For the most part the answer has been, something I do not control changed.  With today’s technology it is not possible to function in isolation but mores the pity.  So much effort required just to keep up with the status quo.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Breaking Routine

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Typically each of us has a sequence of actions which we regularly follow, these can be mundane everyday tasks or a fixed program.  The time and method of completion is usually relatively the same.

Most of us find meaning in these routines and to different degrees can become distressed when they are disturbed.  Practicing the familiar does bring comfort and promotes emotional stability.

Practice Balance

Caution is recommended though to avoid becoming too reliant on your routine.   Having regular tasks can be very useful but without care can become stifling.

Creativity requires change and stepping outside of the standard practices.  The safety of daily routine is definitely not an incubator of innovation.

Each of us has an individual preference relative to the mix between the expected and the spontaneous however being too structured or too wild can have less desirable results.

Manage your comfort zone

The ordinary and routine tasks will almost always fall well within your comfort zone.  Pushing on the edges and breaking out of the ordinary can be very fulfilling but one should adhere to personal preference.

Breaking out of your comfort zone hard and fast can result in a great shock, personal panic, discomfort, and ultimately the results are unlikely to be to your likely.

Select Your Opportunities

It is of great value to use introspective techniques to help understand your own limits and how best to stretch them in positive ways that will be beneficial to you.

Self-analysis leads to understanding what works best and enables you to break out and expand your routines and comfort zone in a way that will both result in self-improvement but without detrimental effects (e.g., the shock of strong and unwelcome change)

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Get Off – Jump!

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Sometimes it is time to exit a situation.  Unfortunately, that is not always easy to do and if there is a sense of urgency it can be even more challenging.

Will you know when it’s the right time to jump from a moving train.  Is there ever a right time?  My opinion is there is always a right time to get off, although usually not when travelling at speed.   I would try to slow it down or wait until it slows down.

It’s Your Choice

Whatever the circumstances, whether career or family related or just personal preferences you always have the choice to terminate or exit.  Although sometimes it is a very hard choice to make and there can be tons of reasons to avoid the decision.

We do have a limited time in our earthly lives, being stuck in or carried along by a situation that is undesirable to us doesn’t make sense (i.e., in the context of life is short).

A messy exit is not recommended and if you realize it is time to make a change making the effort to plan how to effect the outcomes you seek with the least negative impact is the best approach.

Avoid Precipitous Action

You may feel is time to separate from your family or employer, shut down your business, even just add thrills to your life.   These are just some of the many examples of exits you may wish to undertake.

Making any of these changes precipitously (before you are sure it is the right thing) could cause more harm than good so do give it some thought before acting.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Upheaval

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The covid-19 global pandemic has caused many changes in our daily lives. Some of these may have a lasting effect on our behaviours.  For example travel and tourism are greatly restricted.

Central office workplaces are empty with many working from their homes, restaurant’s focus on takeout, bars are closed or limited capacity and online shopping is the order of the day, to name just a few of the obvious impacts.

Disruption

This sudden change is unwelcome by many if not all of us but we are adapting.  Covid-19 is not the only upheaval underway for many of us.

Even before the dawning of the pandemic the energy industry was in turmoil with the price of oil and gas sinking like a stone.  Traditional brick and mortar retail was (and is) under seige.

These changes and their impact on our lifestyles are not just regional or limited in scope, but span the globe. and impact a multitude of things.  Virtually no one is immune from their reach.

Adaptation

The causal factors  of the ongoing upheavals we are  experiencing are broad and largely out of individual control.  We can work within our social groups for changes and impact mitigation but largely the best approach is to accept and by embracing reality, thrive.

Even when remedies for covid are discovered (cure and or vaccine) and oil and gas supply and demand comes back into balance it is unlikely the changes wrought over these past months will not remain to some extent.

The new normal has arrived.  Find ways to enjoy it.  As the Borg in the TV show Star Trek The New Generation would say, “Resistance is futile”

 

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Close the Door on your Way Out

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Looking for a way out, best practice, use the door.  Whatever you are doing there can come a time when you need to seek a change.  This can apply to any point or context of your life from work to play and every imaginable scenario in-between

Changes can be abrupt and not well planned.   These typically derive from frustration and related strong negative emotions (e.g., fear, anger, antipathy, sadness).  The exit can be noisy and messy.  Instead of using the door, you might leap through the window glass.

No Regrets

Exits made on the spur of the moment typically are not sustainable.  After a brief period of euphoria, “I did it”, in retrospect you begin to question your impulsive decision, and regret can set in.

There can come a time for you to choose to make a significant change (e.g,  a time to change your career, (voluntary or paid), start or end a family, take up or give up a sport, etc.)

The key to making the change, that is closing the door on something, is to not slam it.  Take your time, plan it out, and execute accordingly.  Your choice to change is in the context of improvement making things better is the goal.

Feelin Good

If the change is made and you are not happy something went wrong.  After all, why change if not for the better.  Planning including some introspection can help ensure you don’t act precipitously or contrary to your ultimate aim (improvement).

Take your time and think it through before leaping into space.  Calmly open the door and exit.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Toxicity

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A toxic environment is one where the activities, the atmosphere, the people, or any combination of those things cause serious disruptions in the rest of your life.

When you are stuck in a context that is uncomfortable or unpleasant, the solution needs to come from within.  You can make a change that resolves the toxicity

Deal with It!

Living through a toxic environment without an unpleasant effect on your daily life ultimately having permanent long term impact is unlikely.

Doing nothing is not a good approach.  Either leave the environment, or influence a change to the activities, atmosphere, and people that has a real impact.

Of course, acceptance and embracing the toxicity is an option.  In this case, the environment is not considered toxic anymore because you mitigate that impact by adoption.  (This type of resolution does occur although not my personal choice – the Stockholm syndrome is kind of an example of this)

Influence and Impact

Leaving a toxic environment is not always a feasible option.  Livelihood considerations and even the impact of changes in your ongoing routine, need to be considered.

Influencing a change to the environment might also not be a practical choice and sometimes a combination of seeking change, targeting to exit and acceptance are all in play over time.

In the end, though, either one of these things occurs or the negative impacts of the environment take charge and you are permanently affected, in a negative way.

If the environment you spend the majority of your waking hours is toxic, consider action.  You may well regret it if you don’t

 

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Accepting the Future

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In his book Homo Deus, Israeli history professor  Yuval Harari explores the future in the context of the past.  His ideas prompted some interesting thoughts.

This post builds on some of the ideas in the book however, it is neither a summary or a review of the book, if you are interested you will need to read it if you have not already.

History as a Train

Consider historical human progress as a freight train moving ahead with increasing speed.  Occassionally progress is derailed but over the long term it steams ahead.

As a passenger on the train you can get off (this can be an orderly departure or a more forced one) or you can stay on for the ride accept and adapt to the changing environment as human kinds train forges ahead.

Going Faster

Intuitively, as humans capabilities progress, past advances feed future ones and the speed of progress is exponential rather than linear. 

That is, the pace and magnitude of change is probably measured in days and months versus the centuries, decades and years progress required in the past eons.

This increasing pace makes it harder to get off the train without consequence (although many still do) and it make it harder for those that stay on the train to adapt.

Artificial Intelligence

The near future holds major changes for all of us as artificial intelligence is leveraged to enhance human capabilities.

Human endeavors will change drastically as more autimation is employed and those of us staying on the train will be part of significant change.

The rest will be left behind.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Changing Direction

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Power steering makes it easier to change direction.   This catchy phrase is a little tongue in cheek, there is a point buried in here though, that is changing direction might not be a bad thing. 

As momentum builds changing course becomes more difficult, sometimes the wrong thing gets completed because it was being driven fast (I am sticking a lot of driving analogies in this post)

Canadian Gun Registry

The defunct Canadian gun registry is an example of a project that surged forward on momentum, stayed it’s course even though there were many signs a change was warranted. 

From a personal perspective gun control should be a high priority for our society, the gun registry was a poorly planned and executed idea to improve gun control and sadly rather than change direction to make it better and usable it was pushed forward in a form that ultimately imploded.  

Flexibility

The key to being able to change direction, even without the need for power steering, is the ability to adapt on the fly (in the moment as it were) but not without a conscious and clear understanding of motivation and impacts. 

Being flexible enough to recognize momentum as a powerful tool for driving activities to completion but it should not be allowed to cause a blind run for the finish line.  You could crash (auto theme again.)

Be aware of your environment, sensitive to ongoing changes and ready to adopt your approach to best fit what are often changing needs. 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

What’s Holding you Back?

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Your power to achieve is only limited by your fear of success.  Often this phrase is stated “…..as fear of failure” but surprisingly unconciously we are often cautious about achievement.

The thought process includes things like:
– Do I really want this change, it seems better, but?
– What will others think of me if I am successful?
– What happens next after this accomplishment?
– If I succeed, things will be different, do I really want that?

Change is Constant

A lot of the reticence to moving forward is related to change itself.  Change represents the unknown and although your objectives are things you desire (by definition) there is always the ever-present anxiety around making a change.  

As I have noted before, in numerous posts, change is inevitable.  Controlling the changes and managing your destiny might be a better approach but often the default to accept and move on is easier. 

Change is going to occur with or without you, would you not rather it be with you?  

Unconcious Anxiety

If your goal is to have a better entertainment experience you may consider replacing your current home entertainment centre.  Success will mean the existing electronics and technology will need to change. 

New skills will be needed to use the new equipment.  How you access and view entertainment will likely improve (that’s the goal) but the current state will be gone.

Do you really want to succeed with this goal?  Is not the current state comfortable, acceptable and easier?  Why make the effort?  There is a fear that success will tear you out of your comfort zone (in this case, relative to home entertainment).

Go For It

Ultimately, moving forward, making the effort and experiencing the results of your success might not always be as expected and could lead for some nostalgia for the pre-success state of things.  However, in the long run  do you really want to stagnate in the past?