The Aligned Path Book Club: The Change Code
The Change Code by Monica Bourgeau
The Aligned Path Book Club: The Change Code
Welcome to the first installment of The Aligned Path Book Club! In this series, I’ll be sharing books that have profoundly influenced me—books that offer valuable insights on finding and living your purpose.
For this first post, I’m excited to talk about a book that’s deeply personal: The Change Code: A Practical Guide to Making a Difference in a Polarized World. I published it in 2019 after years of research and personal reflection. It’s a book that combines my passions for psychology, spirituality, and human development with my experience leading change initiatives.
But what prompted me to write The Change Code? Let me tell you the story.
Why I Wrote The Change Code
Like many of you, I’ve always felt a deep responsibility to help make the world a better place. Over two decades of leading transformation efforts in healthcare taught me a lot about change. Yet, as the years went by, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my work wasn’t making enough of an impact.
In 2011, I began writing and blogging about change. One of my articles, “7 Ways You Can Change the World,” was published in The Huffington Post. To my surprise, it spread quickly. People from all over the world reached out to tell me how the article inspired them to take positive action in their communities. A few years later, a publishing company included it in a college writing textbook. This experience showed me the power of a simple, hopeful message.
A Turning Point: Burnout and a Crisis of Hope
Fast forward to 2016. The world seemed more polarized than ever. Climate change, immigration issues, poverty, homelessness, and healthcare challenges felt insurmountable. I hit a low point. I was burnt out from my corporate job, and, for the first time in my life, I found myself discouraged about the future. How could we tackle all of these crises when we couldn’t even talk to each other?
A Life-Changing Discovery
In 2019, I made a resolution to write a book based on my Huffington Post article. Once I made that declaration and started the process, doors began to open and I felt like I was being guided. In her book, Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert poses that creativity can be a spiritual experience that connects you so something larger than yourself. She says, “The work wants to be made, and it wants to be made through you.”
It was truly a magical time but not without it’s challenges. There were points of “stuckness”. Pushing through the stuckness didn’t work. It was only when I released control over the process and let the process unfold that I was able to move forward. These were the moments that I experienced a “flow state”. When you’re in flow, time seems to disappear, and you become fully immersed in your work. There's a sense that something larger is moving through you. There were also incredibly moments of synchronicity where the most unexpected opportunities presented themselves to help me on my path.
One of these synchronicities was discovering the work of Clare W. Graves, a developmental psychologist whose theory of human development—also known as Spiral Dynamics. On a whim, I decided to take a class on Spiral Dynamics at the local Unity church because it sounded interesting. Little did I know that my life was about to be completely changed and I would gain a deeper understanding of personal and societal change.
For the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful.
I realized that if people could understand this process, it could help them navigate both personal transformation and global challenges. I call this framework "The Change Code," and it became the underlying framework for my book.
Graves' model reveals that the polarization and tensions we were experiencing aren’t just random chaos. They are part of a natural developmental process. Humanity is undergoing a major paradigm shift, moving from one stage of consciousness to the next. This shift is messy and difficult, but it’s also necessary for our growth.
I also learned about the work of Dr. Don Beck. Dr. Beck was responsible for bringing Graves’ model to the world through his books Spiral Dynamics and Spiral Dynamics in Action. Dr. Beck spent his life actually applying the concepts of Spiral Dynamics on some of the world’s most challenging conflicts. He even worked with Nelson Mandela in the effort to end apartheid which he details in his book, The Crucible, Forging South Africa’s Future.
When I was in Dallas for a business trip, I reached out to Dr. Beck, hoping to meet with him. Fortunately for me, he agreed. This was the beginning of a dear friendship and several more trips to Dallas, lasting until Beck’s death in 2022. We had the most inspiring conversations and I learned so much from Dr. Beck during our multiple interviews. He even wrote the Prologue for The Change Code. I will be forever grateful to him for his knowledge and kindness.
On November 29, 2019, The Change Code was published and in 2020, it was awarded a Nautilus Book Award - Better Books for a Better World.
Author of The Change Code, Monica Bourgeau, with Dr. Don Beck in 2019.
What Is The Change Code?
The headlines make you want to bury your head under the covers and question your faith in humanity. Climate change, immigration, healthcare – how are we supposed to address the world’s biggest problems when we can’t even talk to each other?
There is hope, however, because we’re in the midst of a major shift in consciousness. You may have sensed this change. You may have a strong feeling that you’re called to do something more, to live a higher purpose. But you’re not exactly sure what to do. The Change Code is the roadmap for this new world, showing what’s possible.
"The answers to today's problems cannot be found within the same systems that created them."
~ Dr. Don Beck
At its core, The Change Code is a roadmap for navigating change—both within yourself and in the world around you. It’s based on the idea that human development follows predictable stages, each driven by changing life conditions.
As we evolve, these stages require us to adapt to increasing complexity. While this can create conflict and polarization, it’s actually a sign of growth. Understanding this process helps us move through life’s challenges with greater clarity and compassion.
How This Knowledge Can Help You
When you understand the stages of human development, you begin to see challenges and conflicts in a new light. Rather than feeling paralyzed by polarization and gridlock, you can approach these moments with more grace and curiosity. You’ll also start to notice how your own purpose evolves as you grow and move through life’s seasons.
In The Change Code, I share stories of real people who have used this framework to create change in their lives and communities. One story that stands out is from my friend Amy, who struggled with political polarization in her own family. Understanding the stages of development helped her see the bigger picture and approach these difficult conversations with empathy.
Practical Takeaways
If you're feeling stuck or unsure of how to move forward in your purpose, The Change Code offers guidance and tools to help you:
Understand the larger patterns driving change in the world today.
Recognize where you are in your personal growth journey.
Lead with empathy and awareness, even in times of conflict and uncertainty.
Build strategies for change that align with your values and strengths.
Learn More and Get Involved
I wrote The Change Code to empower people like you—those who feel called to make a difference but might not know where to start. If this resonates with you, I invite you to explore the book and its teachings.
You can:
Order your copy of The Change Code.
Visit the book’s website for more resources and insights.
Visit the book’s additional resources page.
A few reviews:
"My grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi, believed as long as we live in fear we will never be truly free. We are afraid of change because we are afraid of insecurity. Yet change is the only way we will save humanity from certain disaster. The Change Code Book will help you understand why change is necessary and how to achieve it. An excellent read."
~Arun Gandhi
Founder, M.K.Gandhi Institute of Nonviolence, Rochester, NY, and
Author of The Gift of Anger a best-seller translated into 30 languages.******
"The Change Code provides a unique look into Humanity’s Master Code. It provides a practical application for Graves’ theory in reducing polarization and managing today’s complex and turbulent times.
Rather than single theories of change or single universal one size fits all solutions, the focus is natural design, forms, admixtures, and blends to function, fit and flow. It's what the world needs now, and The Change Code brings it to life."
~Don Beck, Ph.D.,
Author of Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership and Change;
and Spiral Dynamics in Action******
“Monica’s work is a refreshing reminder of the power of human creativity. This book, and the associated materials, adds a valuable contribution to the Gravesian lineage. Use this work to reveal and work with the deeper codes of humanness as together we make the trapeze-like leap towards a new era.”
~ Christopher Cooke
Co-founder of 3LM and 5 Deep Limited
Have you read The Change Code? If so, I’d love to hear from you! If not, get a free excerpt.
