Make a change? Be You.

Make a change? Be You.

Change. So recently my life has undergone a pretty major change. I completed my graduation and am now going to firsthand experience the much criticized and coveted- corporate world. So obviously there are many aspects of my life that are different now and many that will change in the near future. So, while the prospect of change is accepted and understood fairly well by the majority of earthlings, I decided to look at it from a different and deeper perspective; to understand the dynamics of this process and see if there is a way to make it better or easier or both.

They say that the only constant thing in the world is change. It indeed is. Our surroundings are constantly changing; people, roads, buildings, technology etc and obviously we as individuals are also going through a constant change. There is absolutely nothing on this planet that is devoid of the process and its effects. Right from the beginning of the human civilization, it has undergone many changes; some great and some not so great. I, also believe that one of the most crucial facets of the many elements of change has been ‘ideology’. It is this that has so far shaped and moulded our society and us into what we are today and is continuing to still, as I am typing this article.

A change could be and mean many things. Nothing puts this better than the words of King Whitney Jr.,“Change to the fearful is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better”.

Basically, it could be slow or fast, we may like it or dislike it, accept it or revolt against it, we may be aware of it or not, but a change will happen. And most importantly either way, it will change something in us. In fact in today’s world change is the new fashion and the kind that moves at the speed of an eye blink. And the people seem to have accepted it pretty well. Though the change I am talking about is mostly from a materialistic point of view, even then so it ends up changing something within us. Because every time a change occurs and in whichever form it may be, it evokes an emotion within us; sometimes strong enough to change the way we look at things. And yes, the object could be as ‘trivial’ as a mobile phone.

Now, I think we can broadly categorize change into two kinds: one when the change happens around us and we get affected by it and second when we are the ones making a change. My focus in this article is on the latter. So exactly what happens when we decide to make a change? What are our chances of succeeding? Why is it that we fail at doing that?

Well, firstly the change that you intend to make could either be a personal one or it could be related to your external environment. But remember that even in the case where it does not appear personal, it actually is. Every change that you decide to make is in one way or another related to you. Why? Simply because, the idea of it originates from you. So after you have taken the decision to make a change the first thing you need to do is look into yourself. Having a clear picture and idea about the change needed to be made, is important. Analyse and assess what you are today and what do you see yourself as a result of the change. But the most important and crucial aspect of any change is honesty. The process is actually quite easy-going but the moment you are not honest to the cause is where the complications begin to arise. If you cannot accept who you are today you will never be able to accomplish your objective. Instead of the change happening for good, it will just make life more convoluted for you. And even worse, you will come out as a person who is under-confident and unsure about not just your life but yourself as well.

You know when a change has to be made the process needn’t be as mechanical as we tend to make it. It’s just like eating food. You can gulp it down your throat and make it as boring and monotonous an affair. Or you can chew it in your mouth, relish the flavour and make the meal an enjoyable one. To really benefit from eating and to get that healthy glow of nutrition, one must enjoy their meal. So is the case with making a change.

They say the mantra of a successful life lies in the ability to accept or make a change. Mostly all of us agree on that. Don’t we?  Well, I could have written about that but I think it would have been just re-stating the obvious. I, instead, chose to write about the things that maybe small but I believe are very crucial to a change; things that we overlook. But it is these little things that’ll make you stand out even amongst the successful. Real success is not just about making a change it is about realizing how important it is to savour the whole process of making one and being honest with it.

Yes, making a change is not an easy thing to do. It’s irrefutable that you will face many hurdles. But truth be told, there is no bigger hurdle in life than we can be for ourselves. So remember to be truly successful and satisfied in making a change, begin by being ‘YOU’.