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NEIL SHEVLIN COACHING

A CLEAR PATH FOR YOUR JOURNEY

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Writer's pictureNeil Shevlin

How changing the guard affects you.

Updated: Feb 28, 2023





This week we saw the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II. She reigned for over 70 years and was a constant in many people's lives. It is hard to think of any other world figure who is still alive and that is so well known. It got me thinking of what will happen next. This applies to all of our lives as things change whether personally or at work. As per protocol, it is a necessity for there to be a successor. This happened really quickly. So what lies ahead for King Charles III? This scenario is the same as a leader that is replaced and it can be related to things in your life that change.


It is incredible to learn that there are 29 billion British coins in circulation with Queen Elizabeth II’s face on them. Following her ascension in 1952, the Royal Mint has used five different portraits. And on all of them, she faces to the right. Incoming monarchs typically face the opposite position of their predecessors on coins. Because Elizabeth faced to the right, King Charles III will presumably be shown facing the left.




We live in a continually changing world and it can be overwhelming at times to absorb these changes and adapt. Following the recent pandemic and current conflicts, it can be difficult for us to concentrate and know what we want to do in the short, medium, and longer term. Think of current and/or recent changes in your life and how you felt about them and how you adapted. So this is how it will be, Charles III will be facing left on any newly issued coins as per protocol - case closed, or should it be? We need more flexibility in our minds and challenging things to ensure that we have an awareness and understanding of situations. This will give you a greater balance, fulfillment, and synergy in your life.


There is an exception to this rule. Edward VIII (who reigned for less than one year in 1936), faced to the left as that was his preference, even though the monarch before him, George V, also looked left. The new King George VI started the tradition again and faced the left. He served until he died in 1952 and Queen Elizabeth II took over and she took the right stance. Perhaps Charles will break tradition and face right in a symbol to continue the journey his Mom was on and add his take. Alternatively, he may keep with tradition and change his journey direction and face left. Either way, his direction will change however on the surface it may not be as obvious.


So does it make a difference if there are changes to the way things operate once a new leader is in charge? - of course, it does. Change is not always necessary though it can bring a greater good to things. It is still possible to hold values already present and lead with examples with subtle changes without a big bang of changes from the get-go. Great leaders assess a situation and make their mark in time.


Pound notes (or Bills) have different considerations. Up until 1960, no monarch appeared on these until Elizabeth II appeared them. Therefore no visible rules here. It provides the perfect opportunity for a new leader to stamp their ideas on things. There are more than 4.7 billion Bank of England currency notes in circulation so it will take some time to replace them all! In a Presidential Lecture (3 Nov 2008) at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Indonesia, King Charles III (Prince Charles at the time) said "I think we need to be clear that the drivers of rainforest destruction do not originate in the rainforest nations, but in the more developed countries which, unwittingly or not, have caused climate change". He has been a huge advocate over the years for improving the environment and you can expect this to be a prominent flavor of his leadership. There is currently a project (since 2016) in place to replace paper notes with polymer (cleaner material that can help prevent fraud). The new King will likely be visibly involved with projects like this and expanding and scaling them further no matter which way he faces! This will be a sign of him taking existing values and adding his take on them. Changes like these should not be something to fear however expected as new leaders take charge.



In conclusion, change is a constant thing in our lives. A lot of us have a fear of these however it is up to you how you deal with them. If you keep a clear mind and align with your core values and strategy of what you want to achieve - you will be fine. You may not always agree with the change and it may be uncomfortable however you can include others on your journey and experience contentment and happiness in your life.

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