Can We Really Do Much of Anything to Change Anything At All?
Yes, we can change anything. But it begins with ourselves.
This weekend, two dear friends got married.
Both, in the time I have known them, have changed in many ways. And the journey to get to this place together was not easy for either of them. But surrounded by friends and family, they pledged their love and lives together.
Who you were is not who you are. And who you are is not who you will be tomorrow. That’s the nature of the Universe. Because change is the one and only constant within it.
However, one of the biggest obstacles to change is the outside world. We see so many examples of unfortunate people and circumstances, unkind, uncaring, unempathetic people, and outright hatred and hostility – hope for change can be constantly tested to the point of breaking.
Yet when all is said and done – we can really change anything at all. It just comes with a wide variety of degrees of complexity and difficulty.
The first and more important consideration is that change begins with ourselves.
Mindfulness to empower ourselves
We tend to be creatures of habit. Most of us have ways we do things regularly that we don’t even acknowledge as habitual. But they are.
Further, the tools initially designed to better connect us to one another have actually disconnected us. The internet, cell phones, tablets, and all this amazing tech for instantaneous communication, information access, and the like separates us more than it unites us. The formerly limited cliques and social-circle gatherings can be global. Globally, they can share and spread misinformation and negativity equally as fast as information and positivity.
Because we tend to be habitual in our daily lives, we can easily get swept along in various currents. The court of public opinion and the collective consciousness can easily take our attention.
That, in turn, makes it look an awful lot like changing anything at all is impossible.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Change is a constant – the only constant in the Universe. Most of the messages that change is impossible come from artificial lack and scarcity intent on derailing change.
To actively change, we need to begin with ourselves. And that is all about mindfulness.
Mindfulness is conscious awareness of our thoughts, feelings, actions, and intentions. That conscious awareness is a product of the only time that is utterly real – the now. Here and now, via mindfulness, we can see who, what, where, how, when, and why we are.
Knowing those facts about ourselves empowers us. And when we are empowered, we can choose ways and means to change.
All change starts small. It begins with shifts in mindset/headspace/psyche. As such, it begins with you and me.
This brings up the second most important fact about change.
We can only change anything via ourselves first
Given the opportunity, I would love to change the way the United States handles taxes, health care, education, the separation of church and state, and various other elements. The reality is that the only way I can do that in any way is to vote in elections, write and call representatives, attend protests, and share information to help spread empowering ideas.
Realistically – I cannot change a damned thing about this country. At least, not on that scale.
How many people do you know? Friends, family, coworkers, casual acquaintances? Friends of friends? All told, I would bet it’s less than 1000 people.
For example, I have more than 1500 friends on Facebook. However, between duplicates (several friends have more than one account), business-related connections, and other factors, I’d estimate there are only maybe 800 people I know even in the slightest.
I share every article I write like this one on Facebook. Because of its algorithms, I suspect maybe 250 of my 1500 friends even see that I post. Of those 250, based on metrics from Medium and my websites, maybe 5 percent of those 250 people read these things.
The potential influence, thus, is about a dozen people. And that’s influence only. Because agree or disagree with what I share – I can’t change anyone else.
We have no power to change anyone other than ourselves. We can share ideas and influence people to choose to change themselves. But we can’t change them.
When we turn our focus and attention towards the world at large and the big picture, we disempower ourselves. Even if we are utterly persuasive and influential – it’s not all that big an impact on that many people.
Hence why recognizing and acknowledging that we can change only ourselves is the key to changing anything at all.
Be the change you wish to see
Yeah, that line gets overused a lot. However, it’s the truth. Care to make a change? Make it.
The problem here is perception. Often, when we decide to go ahead and make change – and start with ourselves – accusations of selfishness start to fly. Or at least, the perception of being selfish can come when we start working on or with change.
Here’s the thing – we can only control our lives. Our selves. You and I have no power over anyone else. And to be honest – that’s more than enough power. I don’t want to be responsible or accountable for anyone else. Do you?
Can we change anything at all? Hell yes. Because change is constant. But the only change we can control is ourselves.
When we recognize and work from there – we can change anything at all about ourselves that’s not working.
And no, this might not be easy. But I know that I prefer to take what control I can. And that means recognizing and acknowledging what I desire to change in, with, and for my life – and taking the actions to change it.
When we are thus empowered – we become beacons for others. Have you ever noticed how influenced you are by someone going for it and making the most of their life? Rather than compete, we can use it as a template for our own change engines.
In this way – we can change anything and everything for the better. But only for our personal better. Unless your intent knowingly causes hurt or harm to others – the change you desire is worthy and deserving of you – and vice versa.
Taking control of changing anything at all isn’t hard
It’s all about working with mindfulness of our thoughts, feelings, and intentions to direct our actions.
When we recognize and acknowledge that we can only change ourselves, we can work with that framework to change anything at all within our own life experiences. Knowing that we have that much power and control over our own lives, we can use this via mindfulness to take control of active work with change. This empowers us – and in turn, our empowerment can empower others around us. That can expand to change the bigger picture matters.
Choosing for ourselves tends to lean positively.
Taking an approach to positivity and negativity – from the vast space that exists between them – shifts the concept in a way to open more dialogue. In that form, we can explore and share where we are between those extremes and how that impacts us here and now.
Lastly, I believe the better aware we are of ourselves in the now, the more we can do to choose and decide how our life experiences will be. If that empowers us, it can also open those around us to their own empowerment. And that is, to me, a worthwhile endeavor to explore and share.
Thank you for coming along on this ride with me.
This is the four hundred and thirty-seventh entry of my Positivity series. I hope that these weekly messages might help spread positive energies for everyone. Feel free to share, re-blog, and spread the positivity.
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