What, exactly, is a “new normal”? I wonder…

From the ravages of Sandy, our most recent display of the change in weather patterns, we are offered yet another opportunity for the media and pundits to illuminate on the concept of a “new normal”.  Apparently, with climate change and the aberrations in our weather patterns for several years, there is an idea we can adjust to a new normal for weather. I am not challenging that today, and in the future, we will experience changes in our weather conditions, different from the past. It is the concept of “new normal” I want to explore.

This phrase is consistently used to describe changes in life, in myriad situations. It is frequently used in economics, money and finances to describe a situation and why that situation is present.  You are called to understand the situation so that you can adjust your expectations, find a reference point and feel comfortable. Comfort is better, safer, and where we all want to hang out.  The problem is, there is NO normal. The moment we get comfortable with the new normal, an even newer normal shows up.

After the market plummet of 2008 a flurry of reaction arose to try and get “back to normal”. When the getting back to normal proved unfeasible, we jumped on the band-wagon of developing a new normal.  It did not work and it is not working.

So, what about a new view? What would it be like if we accepted (dare I say embraced) that there is constant change, there are emerging differences, and patterns shift.   The opportunity is to develop a new muscle. A muscle of curiosity, a muscle of being without a constant, a muscle of flexing, a muscle of flowing … such that whatever arises, including the painful weather patterns like Sandy, we skillfully flex and flow rather than hold on tight to “normal”.

What would it be like to embrace change and leave behind “new normal”? I wonder…