Jul 25, 2016
Igniting Change
What do you want to change in your life?
This is a question I find hard to answer, often because I’m too ashamed to admit the things I’m not okay with. But at the end of the day, I know there are habits and routines I have fallen into that do not support who I want to be?
It is vital that we follow this question with another: what action are you taking to change? If there is no action, there will be no change. So, where is the evidence? Where am I making choices that actually change things.
Some people don’t want to change. That is perfectly okay. Some people wish for change, hoping it will somehow just magically happen. But without investing energy and effort, nothing will change. I find this extremely sad, but know how easy it is to fall into these patterns. This is where people get stuck. The secret, I believe, is in asking the question every single day.
If you want change in your life, you must be prepared to do the work. It will be hard. The reality though, is that the only one who can change you is you.
We cannot change other people no matter how much we want to or try. We can create an environment that inspires people, and helps them articulate what they want to change, we can model the tools needed to make it happen, and we can demonstrate a significant amount of patience and grace. But change comes from within. As they say, “people don’t resist change, they resist being changed”.
So what action am I taking? As a catalyst, I am starting a weekly challenge for myself: each week I will choose one specific action, and implement it every day. The idea is this:
- Identify one thing you want to change
- Pick an action, repeat it every day for one week
- Reflect on the process
- Keep the changes that were good
The next week, repeat the process with another area of change.
I am kicking it off for me with running. I enjoy running, but manage it only sporadically. For the next week, I will run every day, and write about the process — the difficulties, the surprises, the rewards.
My call to you is to choose a weekly challenge for yourself. Choose a challenge that is right for you — only you know what that is. What is your vision for your life? Join me in taking action.
What will you change?
This post was originally published on michaelharris.com
