Find Your Voice

Monday, July 23, 2012

The Change Conundrum

You really think you can change stuff?  No, I mean really?  All those wonderful attempts that, you make to be the wonderful, amazing person that actually wins the Nobel peace prize - what is it for?  I think we think too much of what we can actually change and completely miss the point of what needs to change.

Deep rooted change lies within yourself.  The first thing that needs to change is the way I see the world.  Once this has taken root I can change the way I approach the world.  If there is one thing that I have been learning in the last while it is that my power, ideas, creativity, etc. is not as much as I think it is.  Where I truly shine is where no-one sees me.  It is the deep work of the soul.  It is the work that gets done when no-one is looking and that I don't get rewarded or recognised for in the traditional public spheres.

I know however I have done this work and that I am successful when my wife looks me in the eye and can say that after a tough time together she loves me even more than before.  I know I have done the work when I hold my little boy and I am not in a rush to get anything else done but just hold him and be in his space.

Seriously, do we really think that building that company or building, making great profit, saving the world or bring great illumination is going to do anything if we have not made those changes inside ourselves?  There really is nothing new under the sun but it is very interesting how easily we forget the lessons history has taught us.  It is as if every generation wants to go and find out for themselves.  Every generation wants to go and scratch that itch for itself but then never stops scratching.  Peace and contentment are fleeting ideas of some other esoteric religious sect, not something close to our hearts or even in it.

The problem is not out there I realise.  It is in here with me.