By Eric Martinez
September 20. 2011-
CHANGE, what does this word exactly mean to each individual? According to Merriam-Webster.com it means to give a different position, course, direction, or become different. For me change can mean a lot of different things. True change is achieved when we take new actions without having to think about them. Many of us over think, hesitate, and fear making changes. Why? I am not sure why, it must just be human nature. We may believe we have changed but it is life’s circumstances that are our true judge at the end of the day. Life is a cycle of destruction and creation; you can either embrace it or let it go to shit, plain and simple. There are those that are constantly making positive changes to better their lives and there are those that choose to settle and not make changes at all. Then there are those that don’t feel like they need to make any changes because they are happy with the way everything is already, and if that’s the case then great for those people. Change is a constant in life and you can either adapt and benefit or resist it and be left in the dust!
As the actual dictionary defines change, I think when it says a different course or direction it means what exact kind of change are you going to make? Is it being a better person, being successful, a better parent, husband/wife, student, eating healthy, exercising, ect. All of these are considered a new direction and course in life. First and foremost you have to ask yourself “what am I willing to sacrifice to make this change?” Accepting reality doesn’t mean we have to settle for where we are right now, but we must be honest with ourselves, which is a critical component of creating meaningful change. For example, if you are broke but lie to yourself saying you have financial wealth, you are not changing anything. You are deluding yourself and worse, creating an obstacle to true change. If you are overweight and unhealthy, yet tell yourself you are lean and healthy, you are lying to yourself while impeding positive change. Faking it until you make it will not work.
Change requires growth and willing to let go of certain things in the past or certain beliefs. Once we become comfortable within the constructs of what we think we are, it’s difficult to let go, even if we don’t like the construct! This brings me to what I like to call “The Battle Within,” which is the battle each and every one of us has inside our heart and souls that we deal with everyday. We all have tragedies, losing loved ones, alcohol/drug addictions, financial problems, self- image issues, and all of the above. We all have something going on in our lives that sometimes holds us back or changes our lives dramatically, and for those that don’t, god bless you. My personal Battle Within is getting over the death of my father, still till this day I am fighting that battle. Although I have made many changes throughout the years and I still plan to evolve as a person, at the end of the day that pain and anger is still inside of me and it won’t seem to go away as much as I have tried. I know eventually with time it will go away and I will over come this battle for good. I have never asked anyone for help or their sorrows because it is my battle to fight and overcome. My point being is we cannot make changes unless we face these battles and win them. So recognize your Battle Within, accept it, be mentally tough, and defeat it! Or else you will never move forward.
Many people dismiss ideas and opportunities on the spot. This usually comes from fear, that sincerity to new ideas and opportunities will irrevocably change them. Yet their fear of change is irrational, since change is going to occur whether we like it or not, sometimes for the better and others for the worse. Avoiding opportunities to grow and reinvent ourselves is not only disastrous, it’s plain dumb. We have only so many opportunities in life to grow and improve and they should not be taken lightly because with a blink of an eye they are gone. In reality, I see so many people and can tell that they are miserable with their lives, but yet they don’t do anything about it. Instead of having the courage to make positive strides in the right direction, people sit back and accept it because they feel as if that’s all their worth or their not meant for bigger and better things, it’s sad. You can’t feel bad for these kinds of people because you know if they really want to make a change they can, but they won’t because they have a bag full of excuses. Sometimes we don’t accept reality, even when it slaps us in the face.
At some point we have to evolve as people and strive for greatness. We have to become less self absorbed and become part of something much more gratifying, such as living with purpose. We have to get outside of our comfort zones and be more open minded to change and realize the potential we all have. Close-mindedness impedes personal growth and development. When we stop thinking, someone else will do it for us and when that happens, then failure is headed in our direction. It doesn’t matter what achievements you have made, or any fame you might attain, without purpose, none of it matters, like it or not. There has to be at least one change in your life that you want to make, even if it’s a small one, it’s still pushing you in the right direction. I am not here to tell people what they should and shouldn’t do with their lives; I am just trying to open your eyes to reality. Reality can be very tough to face, but we have to at some point and if you don’t you will never evolve as a person. Peace and God Bless Everyone!
NO EXCUSES, ONLY SOLUTIONS!