How to Be The Change
Take control of what you can, in truth, control.
Grocery shopping today was not fun. Granted, for some people, this is always a chore and never fun. I, however, enjoy perusing the aisles, both getting what I came for and sometimes discovering something on sale that might be good (uniquely flavored seltzers, for example).
Why wasn’t it fun? Because people were being rude. Some were intentional, just pushing past and giving sour looks. Others were utterly oblivious. Zero situational awareness, leaving their carts in the way, holding conversations mid-aisle, and just paying no attention to anyone else.
This can be infuriating. How can people be so oblivious to everyone and everything? If this irks me, doesn’t it irk you, too? Why are you so oblivious?
Trouble is, I have no control of other people and who, what, where, how, or why they are, whatsoever. I can’t make anyone pay attention, be aware, stop being rude, or do anything at all. In other words, I have absolutely no control here in the slightest.
What can I do? All I can do is be the change I wish to see. Rise above the petty BS and be the best me that I can be.
SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE HERE: Rising above does NOT in any way, shape, or form, mean being better than, superior to, or otherwise “above” anyone else. This is about me and my thoughts, feelings, and actions – not anyone else. Rising above is about being cognizant of myself and what’s in my head, heart, and soul, not being any more special, better, etc., than anyone else. Because nobody is greater or lesser than anyone else.
Self-awareness, mindfulness, and non-toxic positivity
There is nothing at all that you can do to change anyone else. You have zero ability or control to change hearts and minds. That’s not to say you can’t be a beacon of light in the darkness or otherwise be the change you wish to see. But you can’t make anyone else accept it, take it in, make use of it, or whatever else.
What you do control is in you. Your head, heart, and soul belong to you and only you. In your head, you think and direct your approach. In your heart and soul, you feel and intend. Via head, heart, and soul, you build consciously aware, mindful actions to take.
Self-awareness is about getting to know who, what, where, how, and why you are. This is done via active conscious awareness. Ergo, you examine here and now what you’re thinking, what and how you’re feeling, what your intentions are, if your approach is towards positivity or negativity, and what actions you do or don’t take.
Mindfulness is taking that recognition and using it to either actively make choices and decisions in this moment, and/or delve into your subconscious mind to question and potentially alter your beliefs, values, and habits. It’s via mindfulness that you can use the control that is your birthright to be the change in yourself to be the most authentic you that you can be.
Non-toxic positivity enters into this because that will color the impression you are working to make on the world. Are you looking to build and do good, positive things for yourself and others or take down, restrict, and do potentially hurtful and harmful things to yourself and others? This is your approach, and positive empowers while negative disempowers.
How to be the change
This is about being the most genuine you that you can be. It’s about being true to yourself and as authentic as possible. It’s less about being your best and more about being your most natural self. No putting on of airs, no masks, no bullshit, nothing artificial, just you.
Trying to be someone you are not will come apart and break down eventually. That’s because it’s not you. People will see that, and it will make an impression you’d likely prefer not to make. It will also make you unhappy, uncertain, and likely confused.
To be the change begins by actively, consciously, changing. Not to someone or something you’re not, but to the most earnest you that you can be. That generates positivity because being your true self is how you can be ultimately centered and balanced.
How is that positive? Because you have no masks to drop, no false impressions being made, and you’re living life with self-awareness. That shows others that you are striving to be as authentic as you can be.
NOTE: This can and will be imperfect. That’s because perfection isn’t real. Like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder. Part of what makes you genuine is fucking up, making mistakes, falling flat, and getting it wrong as well as getting it right. What makes positivity non-toxic is not just recognizing and acknowledging negativity but embracing it for how it can empower you to change.
How do you be the change? Mostly by not resisting change, but also by being unselfish, aware, and open to the power of change.
You control only you
When you actively take control of yourself and your life experience, you have assumed control over the only thing you can genuinely control. You can control nobody and nothing other than you.
That’s infuriating and depressing to some. But really, it’s so empowering. Why? Because with this knowledge, you’re able to work on yourself to be authentic, genuine, and true to yourself. When others see that, and the balance of it, you will be the change.
It’s not magical. Also, it doesn’t work with or for everyone. That’s because you have no control outside of yourself. It can make an impression. More than that, however, I find that I am more positive, happier, and better balanced when I’m practicing active conscious awareness and mindfulness.
No, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. But that’s because nothing is. Everyone has bad days, suffers from time to time, experiences pain, and other negatives. You choose, however, where you go from there, and whether to strive for positivity or let negativity dictate your approach to life.
You can be the change when you make the most of this. Via your empowerment, you can and will influence and empower others. Not by force, not by being somehow better or superior, but by being as authentic to yourself as you can be.
Acting on how to be the change isn’t hard
It’s all about practicing mindfulness of your thoughts, feelings, intentions, and approach to direct your actions.
When you recognize and acknowledge that you can only control what’s in your head, heart, and soul, you can work with that to be as authentic in and of yourself as you can be. Knowing that you’re the only you that there is – and that you alone can be actively consciously aware and mindful – you can make choices and decisions from a positive approach to be as genuine to yourself as possible and be the change you desire to be and see in the world at large.
This empowers you, and your empowerment can empower others around you.
Consciously choosing your approach to life towards positivity or negativity – from the vast cylinder that exists between them – shifts life in a way that opens greater dialogue. With a broader dialogue, you can recognize, explore, and share where you are between the extremes and how that impacts you here and now.
Choosing thoughts, feelings, actions, and intentions for yourself employs an approach and attitude of positivity for realizing amazing potential and possibilities for your life.
The better aware you are of yourself here and now, the better you can choose and decide what, how, and why your life experiences will be. When you empower yourself it can spread to those around you for their empowerment.
Thank you for coming along on this journey.
This is the five-hundred-and-fiftieth (550) 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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