Making
Changes
“Sometimes
it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.”
Keri
Russell
Steve
Jobs once said, “Things don't have to change the world to be
important.” Sometimes, all we can take is one step toward a change
that needs to happen, and then rest until we can take one more. One
agreed-upon piece of wisdom that has come down from many great souls
is that there are instances and occasions when we, as individuals,
cannot effect change. In other words, it is not ours to control. In
those cases we must change ourselves. Viktor E. Frankl, who wrote one
of the most life changing books of all time, Man's Search for
Meaning, said it this way: “When we are no longer able to
change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
In
changing ourselves, acceptance is key. Accepting that a situation
that exists is not within my power to change, is step one. Acceptance
does not mean defeat and does not require condemnation. It means
simply, “this is not my homework.” This situation, this
circumstance, this person is not mine to change, therefore, I will
accept it and do my very best to adjust my attitude toward it.
Too
often, we insist on having our own way—our way being the “right”
way, of course. Especially, if we've always had our way, we balk at
acceptance of anything different. This creates intractable
situations, stalemates, for us and for others. Stagnation is not a
solution. In moving forward, we must accept and negotiate, take one
step forward, maybe two steps sideways and so forth until a
resolution is reached that satisfies. It's a dance, and not the march
of an army. Sometimes small changes in attitude, a quarter turn
rather than 180 degrees, make all the difference. We must start the
music, and begin the dance.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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