If you took a personal inventory, would you say that you generally love, anticipate, and adapt well to change? Or that the very idea of change brings waves of dread, gloom, or nauseating trepidation?
What is change, anyway?
Many are familiar with Newton's First Law of Physics: An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalancing force.
Think of that pitcher bearing down on Casey with one strike to go. "And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go. And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow." (Ernest Thayer, 1863-1940, "Casey at the Bat")
What we think we know about the nature of change has been the subject of philosophical inquiry since the pre-Socratics. Thanks, Heraclitus (c. 500 B.C.E.). You know, the "You can't step into the same river twice" dude - Heraclitus? The ubiquity of change, flux, impermanence, or whatever it is, permeates the natural world in which we all strive to grow and make our way through the developmental stages we call life. And the notion of equilibrium is central to preserving balance in the midst of constant change.
"The idea of equilibrium — as a natural state of rest or balance — is among the oldest of all scientific concepts. Aristotle put equilibrium at the centre of natural law, suggesting that all objects, unless otherwise disturbed, tend to approach a state of rest — a condition of timeless, unchanging perfection. Galileo may have replaced Aristotle's state of rest with one of uniform motion, but he didn't question the view that nature has an equilibrium condition, or that science should seek to describe it. Even so, Galileo made a profound point by bringing motion — a concept decidedly involving change — into a framework based on the absence of change. Today we have gone a long way along the path suggested by Galileo's generalization, and notions of equilibrium often have rich dynamic connotations." https://www.nature.com/articles/nphys1691
What we have learned from nature itself about change is that adaptability is key, and it sustains the drive towards equilibrium and stability.
In a nutshell, complex eco-systems thrive through adaptability. No matter how dramatically they change, generally more complex ecologies are more stable. "An ecosystem might well be considered perfectly stable if it is able to take a shock and go on persisting, in some more or less healthy condition, regardless of how much it has actually changed. Under this more realistic notion of stability, it turns out, many food-web models do indicate that more complex ecosystems tend to be more stable." (McCann, K. Nature 405, 228–233; 2000)
Adding to our understanding of complexity is the notion of ecological variability. Eco-systemic variability is core to the nature of eco-systems, characterized by fluctuations in physical, resource, and biological conditions. Variability also shapes specific micro-eco-niches, the discreet environmental contexts that influence species development and behavior. "Stability can be defined in several ways, but the most intuitive definition of a stable system is one having low variability (i.e., little deviation from its average state) despite shifting environmental conditions. This is often termed the resistance of a system. Resilience is a somewhat different aspect of stability indicating the ability of an ecosystem to return to its original state following a disturbance or other perturbation." https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/biodiversity-and-ecosystem-stability-17059965/
If a system is capable of maintaining low variability, the result is general stability and resilience over time.
What does nature tell us about how energy functions in the process of change? Stored and potential energy becomes mass in a system. Since energy is related to the mass of an object at rest (thanks, Albert Einstein, E = mc2), stored energy increases mass at rest, and mass can be destroyed to release energy. Energy conversion, or energy transformation, means changing from one form of energy to another, such as the natural process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the system whereby plants are able to transform solar energy into chemical energy necessary for the change that is growth. Rather than creating mass through photosynthesis, plants reorganize existing mass, e.g., principally carbon from carbon dioxide in the air is recombined into other molecules to make the molecules and structures needed for growth.
A central facet of energy exchange in the process of photosynthesis is energy conservation.
The net effect of photosynthesis and respiration is that solar light energy is converted to chemical energy. Cellular respiration converts oxygen and glucose into water and carbon dioxide. The conservation of energy in ecosystems occurs when the sunlight absorbed by plants and microbes ultimately drives and sustains the entire ecosystem. It is a potent and effective process for sustainable systemic health.
So, what can we learn about navigating change from nature?
As a seasoned executive and life coach who has had the privilege of working with clients through the challenges of professional and life changes, I recommend some key lessons from nature for coping and resilience.
Change is endemic to life, growth and development. It is healthy, natural, and central to engaging life in its fullness. Fulfillment - becoming more fully who we are - requires that we embrace change as an energetic impetus for growth and development.
Adaptability is key, and regardless of miniscule or macro-change, adapting to change over time allows us to return to a state of balance/equilibrium.
Low variability leads to overall stability and resilience. Slow, organic change happening in smaller increments gradually, over a period of time, gives adaptability, resilience and equilibrium a greater opportunity for optimization.
Energy transfer and conservation are necessary components of adaptive change. For humans who are not endowed with the process and benefits of photosynthesis, we can engage a daily discipline for energy transformation and conservation through breath-work, mindfulness, and embodied energy practice.
If we take our cues from nature, we can become more resourceful, more balanced and resilient, even more beautiful in the art of change. Now, are you ready to change it up?
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