The One Change That Changes Everything
Change One Thing
If you had a magic wand what would you change? This is a question used often by coaches (or me at dinner parties). What would your answer be? Most people say that they would end war or put a million or more into their bank account. Or something simpler like buy their Mum a house. These are shallow answers to what could be a much much deeper question.
Shallow Answers vs Deeper Questions
A similar question was asked on a post that I saw yesterday. What one thing would you remove from earth which would have a positive effect. Many people said flies and religion. I can see how these could be of personal benefit but would ridding the world of these things actually be beneficial as a whole? I don’t think so. Not because I love flies or religion but again because it doesn’t go deep enough.
Why Quick Fixes Fail
Most lottery winners lose their winnings within 5 or 10 years and go back to their previous lifestyle or worse. You having a million in the bank would go the same way.
On War
End war - lovely idea but war serves a purpose for the current society we live in. It highlights inequality, boosts the economy as arms are sold to both sides and gives a mechanism to solve arguments. I’m not saying that war is good, more than humanity is too backward currently to have come up with a better form of noticing and resolving inequality and conflict. If war stopped on a country to country basis you can guarantee that there would be inter culture conflict or more domestic abuse. The world is fractal.
On Flies
Flies are an important part of the earth’s ecosystem, no matter how tiresome they are to you. Birds, lizards, other insects etc all need flies to live and thrive.
On Religion
Religion has indeed been a root of many wars and conflicts yet to rid the world of religion would be to cause a bigger problem. A loss of identity and community. Hope and connection to something bigger would be dashed. Many people need religion to feel stable and secure. Religions give a code of behaviours to live by. Children and animals all prefer boundaries of some kind. Compassion and continuity is important too, of course. Religion becomes a kind of golden birdcage around lives. Keeping people contained within a set of beliefs and reinforced actions which are deemed acceptable and mark them as part of that religious community. Without the golden birdcage of rules there would be chaos.
The Common Thread
Can you see the common thread through all of this?
Be The Change
You. You can change all of the things around you but you can remain the same. Change yourself - that one thing and ripples of change start moving outward and affecting others and other things. When you are at the centre of the ripple you create a field of light, certainty, of purpose even. Other ripples bump up against yours. You can take in other ideas, beliefs or hopes and feelings. You then choose whether to integrate the new or merely file it as extra wisdom.
Begin With Who You Want To Be
Start by changing yourself into the kind, stable, caring, interesting, creative person you would like to be. Express, explore and examine everything. Does it feel right or useful? File it accordingly.
Choose Openness and Flow
Create an openness to new information, opinions and options. This is the start of flow and growth. When you change you, everything else changes as it reacts to the observer. The calm within you helps others to feel good. Your creative exploration encourages others to be more flexible in their opinions and beliefs, this creates growth and change. With this we can find better ways to resolve conflict. To build new ways to co operate and collaborate, whether on a neighbourhood basis or global. When you choose to change one thing within you or of how you perceive the world you are changing the world too. If we all do this the ripples of change will reverberate. Like increases like, opposites reduce the amplitude. So if you and I change our approach to noticing all things in our world that make us feel good and happy, when our ripples of observation reach each other they amplify through constructive interference. When my happy and fun ripples bump into someones’ fear and anger they reduce the amplitude or balance each other out.
Small Changes, Big Effects
So changing just one tiny thing in your life can have amazing repercussions, for the world.
A Gift To Yourself And The World
You changing you is a gift to both yourself and the world. Never underestimate the small things, they really do matter.
