From the editor: 3 March 2022

Marching on

Almost a quarter of the way through 2022, and already many aspects of life as we know it have changed, once again. Change is not necessarily a bad thing and there are many ways to adapt to it and even take advantage of it.

History and nature have shown us time and again not to expect stability in our lives. Change is an unavoidable constant, at home, at work and at play. Sometimes it’s within our control, but most often it is not.

The key is accepting, and adapting or adjusting to change. Acceptance might not be easy, but remember that while we might not be free from change, we do have the freedom to decide how we respond to it.

Adaptive leaders view all changes, wanted or unwanted, as an expected part of the human experience, rather than as a tragic anomaly that victimises unlucky people. Instead of feeling personally attacked by ignorant leaders, evil lawmakers, or an unfair universe, they remain engaged in their work and spot opportunities to fix long-standing problems with customer service and to tweak antiquated systems.

By contrast, many who struggle have been found to be consumed by thoughts of “the good old days”, and spend their energy trying to figure out why their luck has turned sour. They relate to a time and a place that no longer exists.

We live in the here and now, and Christchurch is not a bad place to be, so make the most of it every day before the next inevitable change.