The Gifts of Change - Nancy Christie

The Gifts of Change poses those questions and more, as it encourages you to take a closer look at how you deal with the inevitability of change and ways in which you can use change to gain a new perspective, re-evaluate your goals and reconsider your options.

The book reminds you about making the most out of the changes that occur -- even the ones that are difficult to handle.

Change can not be avoided. It is an integral part of life. But while you may be able to point to major events as "life changing," sometimes it is the less noticeable, inconspicuous times that can cause a major shift in your perceptions of what life is and who you are. A chance conversation with a stranger, an unexpected gift, even experiences that don't turn out quite the way you wanted can all provide food for thought which leads to new realizations.

This condition of change is really the definition of being alive: without change there can be no growth.

The key is not to spend energy avoiding change but to embrace it willingly, using each experience to develop new strengths and abilities to prepare for the next series of transformations. It's not about blind acceptance but rather about actively searching for the positive aspects in all your life experiences.

You must make the most of the changes that come into your life-- the ones that bring you joy as well as the ones that cause you pain -- and use them to learn more about yourself. With change, you can build your strengths, uncover new abilities and discover more about who you are and what you can do.