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book buzz:change thrivers by afsaneh noori

Change Thrivers:Your Resource Guide for Making Change Work by Afsaneh Noori, ISBN 0977736903

The only thing constant in life is change.  How often have we all heard that?  Author Afsaneh Noori has experienced many changes in her life and has used them to develop a resource guide to help others navigate through change in her book Change Thrivers:Your Resource Guide for Making Change Work.

Noori begins by encouraging the reader to analyze the changes that have occurred in his/her own life and the emotional responses those changes triggered.  Knowing one’s innate fears and engrained reactions to major and minor life changes is an essential first step before planning a strategy to refine or revise those reactions.  Change Thrivers explores different types of change; various behavioral responses to change; the full cycle of change from initial reaction to resolution; positive and negative effects of stress; and coping mechanisms such as developing a strong support system, taking care of one’s physical health, monitoring one’s emotions and seeking help from mental health providers or life coaches.

It took a little while for me to find anything personally useful in Change Thrivers.  I found it a tad difficult to wade through the scholarly discussions of types of change and the change cycle stages.  As someone currently experiencing a variety of major life changes, I wasn’t all that interested in the textbook theories, although I realize they had to be included for this book to be a complete guide.

The first few coping strategies listed are similar to what’s found every week in women’s magazines — get enough sleep, eat nutritious meals, exercise, say “no” more often, meditate.  These are crucial first steps that have to be included — along with the more academic theories of change — to form the solid foundation of a useful resource guide.  The second half of Noori’s book is where the reader will find more innovative strategies.  In Chapter 8 Noori introduces the idea of the “Shadow Walk” – an expression of unconscious knowledge that temporarily renders one out of balance, vulnerable, highly emotional and deeply depressed — and she points out possible triggers, positive effects and self-care strategies.

Noori also writes about what she calls “changeback pressures,” the reactions of others both in and out of one’s support system to changes one makes.  “Change has a ripple effect.  When you make changes in your life, you affect others, especially those people intertwined in your life.”  Change Thrivers supplies lists of effective and ineffective strategies to deal with this resistance.

In addition to presenting research, self-guided exercises and lists of resources, Noori shares her own life story and recounts personal changes she’s experienced.  Born in Iran, she moved to the U.S. at age 20 with her parents to escape Iran’s revolution.  Noori had to adapt to a new culture and learn a new language while working through the sadness of leaving friends, family and her old life behind.

Her personal history as a “Change Thriver” makes this resource guide more meaningful than the standard how-to manuals typically found in the Self Help aisle.

Book Buzz Barometer: B+

Noori’s website is www.changethrivers.com.