Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Change - A Virtue

Over the years I’ve become very friendly with my doctor who was a great moral supporter of the transitions in my life. He coached me in many aspects of my methods in making business decisions as well as how to manage the emotional aspect of my private life. I suffered from depression over a period of years and did not quite know how to deal with it or what caused it. We later discovered that I’m not very good with handling change in my life. I also suffered abandonment issues in my younger years which decided to surface in my early to mid 20’s. Thanks to therapy things now have changed.

Sometimes we get so caught up with the idea of how we think our life is or should be that we don’t look at the reality of what is going on around us or even inside of us. I for example was the typical control freak with the type “A” personality to equal it. Everything had to go according to how I planned it, even the weather and my team’s health and circumstances. This all because I did not want to deal with failure or change for that matter. Much of how I planned things in the past was carved in stone and not open for change – unless I instigated and controlled that change. Needless to say I hated surprises. This of course made me a very boring and anal individual in the eyes of many. However I was still a very successful; boring and anal individual with that method. Much to be said about that I’m sure. I had a stress level of note and lived of digestives for the heartburn caused by stress and tension. Anyway, I am digressing now.

I’ve actually lost my train of thought now because I’m writing in stages and are being interrupted by calls, online chats, etc...omg...is that the type A personality coming back. Be gone satan!

Nevertheless, what I actually want to get to is that change can actually be a good and necessary mania in one’s life. Of course depending on how we decide to look at it and what we prefer to do with the needed change. The psychology of change is not very straight forward; I wish to challenge those who states the contrary. Change is scary to anyone, whether we wish to admit and acknowledge that factor or not.

Change is not essentially a bad thing and it does not have to be daunting or difficult either. (Of course it all depend on the level of change, I’m not completely daft J) Change comes with a desire to transform and that could mean one thing – improvement. Change does not always have to be enforced if we embrace it a little easier. The good news here is the only person that can change YOUR mind is YOU! Change is impossible if you don’t allow or accept it. Our minds are really more powerful than we realise in such that it has the ability to create perceptions for us. If our mind says change is creepy, change will appear creepy no doubt. If we allow ourselves to be crippled by our minds and give in to limited thinking, guess what – the result is obvious. By limiting our thinking we limit our experiences and hence our personal growth and development is destined to these limitations. We can all start changing the way you think by embracing change.

Change does not have to be the boogy man under the bed or the werewolf of that pathetic movie you once saw. Start believing that you are change and that you can be the change you want to see (hey Ghandi said that!). Now it is important to realise that change does not happen over night, nor does embracing change. So realise that change is a process and that it will take time. You can bet that it will take you places you've never dreamt of either. So, buckle up and enjoy the ride and the people you’re bound to meet on the journey too, as change becomes an inclusive matter. Change can be exciting and very empowering if embraced in a positive manner. Life in itself is complex enough we don’t need to make it harder than it is. My mom always told me; life is not as easy as pie, but it also does not have to be as hard as my head. I never understood what she meant by that – still not sure if I do.

So; I wish to encourage you today to accept change. Become that changed person!
Change your negatives and turn them into positives
Turn your fears into fearlessness.
Become the victor instead of the victim.
Conquer and face up to your suppressions.
Turn the imbalances into balances (just like I did with my former type “A personality”)
Become converted into a whole and discard the brokenness.
Let the ill thoughts become wholesome and constructive ones by realising these are ill thoughts.

And for a CHANGE – let me know what you think of my BLOG.