I was viewing a Performance Art installation at the museum. The artist/poet was sitting amidst hundreds of loose torn-from-dictionary-black-and-white pages strewn across the floor and posted to the walls. He was nestled in a large padded Victorian-inspired chair, sitting a bit askew with legs draped across the chair’s arm. As each person approached, he gave them a side-glance and a nod, waiting for the single uttered word which would initiate his brief inward stillness, inspiring a spontaneous poem to be written on one of the pages strewn about. Initially I was exasperated at the length of the line (thank-you to my daughter for coaxing me to stay!) – those who had made it through were audibly amazed at the perfection of the messages they received, motivating us to wait. My exasperation turned into curiosity and then angst as I realized “Oh! I’m next…what is my word??!”
Transformation. I love transformation. Transformation is why I secretly enjoy washing a dirty floor. Why I bought two fixer-uppers in my twenties. And why I love being a coach. Nothing better than observing the growth, the movement, the aha’s, the change, the before & after, the betterment that has taken place! So subtle – barely recognizable mid-process really. And then, suddenly, “Wow, what happened?” – polished, clean, transformed! Transformation is exhilarating (to me anyway!).
He was right. The poet, that is. He handed me my poem, simply put, “the transformation happens regardless of what you call it”. The kind of transformation clients hire me for is directional (upward!), and in alignment with their goals. AND, it is intentional. What about when it’s not? Because that happens too…
The point is, transformation does happen, regardless. We are never really static. Shifting, ever so subtly in one direction or another – not even realizing it is happening. Sometimes if not intentionally forward moving, transformation can be negative. Before you realize it, before you can stop the momentum, you’re there. In this place where you don’t recognize yourself anymore. Disengaged. Complacent. Withdrawn. Underutilized. Negative. Unhappy. This isn’t me…
I find, close to 100% of the time, in retrospect, clients know they knew when the shifted happened. The shift in the wrong direction. Let me say that again. On some sub-conscious level, they knew! They (now) know they knew (back then), instinctively, they were heading in the wrong direction. And didn’t pay attention to the warning signs. The dishonoring of self. Sometimes it seems so much easier to ignore your intuition. In the short run! In addition to the presence-of-mind to be able hear, and listen, to your intuition, courage is required. Courage, a.k.a. your voice, moxie, energy, the strength to course-correct, and head back in a positive direction.
You are in control. If you want to be. Transformation is going to happen regardless of what you call it…get mindful and intentional about yours, and set your trajectory in a positive direction.
