The word is change, and every form of progress and happiness depends upon it. Change is the basic principle of the universe. Everything changes. A season, leaves, flowers, people – everything is constantly undergoing change. The real wonder is that anyone would even attempt to resist change when it is so obviously inevitable.
Look back over your life. Is there anything about it that is the way it was when you were five years old? Twenty-five? Thirty-five? Had you deliberately attempted to keep things as they were, how successful do you think you would have been? Would you say that, overall, your life has improved because of change? Do you feel you have grown, developed, matured in any significant ways because of change? Of course you have!
Still, we resist change. For the most part, we resist it because it threatens our beliefs. At every stage of life, we would like to believe that we finally know what we are doing, that we truly understand ourselves, and also, the world around us. At every stage, we are ready to accept our perceptions of reality as the truth.
Think of what you believed when you were a young, naïve teenager. Try to remember how adamant you were on every subject, how quickly you took stands, and how ready you were to defend your beliefs the to the death.
The fact is, you are constantly changing. Change is a friend to the individual who is not willing to settle for what he has, but who is interested in having and doing more. Change is an option. It holds the promise of something better. But nothing will change until we learn to change from the inside out.
How does one make positive changes? Perhaps the best way to answer this question is to examine the word change and address it on the basis of each individual letter. C-H-A-N-G-E. Imagine for a moment that each letter in that word stands for a principle of success that is of vital importance to you.
C – CHALLENGE
- Accepting the challenge means recognizing certain things: That there are infinite possibilities and opportunities in this life – not only one.
- That you are well prepared and well equipped to live up to your untapped potential.
- That you have the power to SEE and the will to DO.
- That you are talented and wise, and deserving of all that life has to offer.
- that your actions are the logical outgrowth of your awareness.
- That you are receptive to new ways of doing things in order to achieve the greatest good.
- That you are sufficiently dedicated and determined to BE, do and have what you want.
Every challenge you willingly accept will bring about some quantity of knowledge and fulfillment. It’s a game you cannot lose! Knowing this, you are ready to accept the challenge.
A happy and healthy life is one that is constantly challenged. Challenge offers us opportunities to risk openness and spontaneity, which are the opposites of rigid, inflexibly thinking. Rigid, inflexible thinking is the enemy of challenge and change.
If you find the word challenge a trifle intimidating, think of it in terms of “getting started.” Just getting started – moving slowly, steadily from point A to point B. When it comes to getting started, people generally fall into one of three groups:
GROUP #1
Members of this group eagerly and actively pursue a new plan of action, making it a conscious and workable part of their everyday life.
GROUP #2
Members of this group accept the basic principles involved in getting started. They are passive supporters of these principles to the extent that they constantly talk about doing and achieving, but never quite get around to doing anything about it.
GROUP #3
Members of this group do not believe in rocking the boat. They would prefer to do nothing and to gain nothing. Although they might have some more palatable way of justifying their inertia, it is inertia all the same. Nothing is ever done. Nothing is ever gained.
Since you are reading this book, I am reasonably certain that you do not qualify for Group #3. On the other hand, you might well be a member of group #2. Through the years, hundreds, even thousands, of Group #2 people have attended my seminars, read my books and listened to my audio programs. Many have told me that they enjoy the material. They seem to feel that if they read and listen enough (whatever enough could possibly be), somehow their life will change for the better.
Group #2 would rather talk the talk than walk the walk. They are constantly on the threshold of taking action. At any given moment, they can make a choice to move forward. They can also stand still – forever!
If they choose to stand still, they are still moving, because they are gradually falling behind. But if they move ahead, they are advancing TOWARD their goal, making steady progress, simply by accepting the challenge. The goal is to work your way into Group #1 where the real doers and go-getters are. These people do not resist challenge. Instead, they recognize challenge as an opportunity to create what they truly desire.
H – HOPE
Hope is that intangible stuff we cling to when everything seems lost. How do you feel about hope? Do you feel it is a necessity of life? I sincerely hope not.
Hope in an illusion. The problem with hope is that we are dependent on someone or something outside of ourselves to change before our life will improve. And if that something or someone doesn’t bring us the hope we desire, we lose a little more hope. Each one of us has the power within to solve our own problems and reach our own goals without hoping that someone or something will “save” us. All we need to
do is to listen to the voice within, known as our intuition, to find the answers we need.
The conscious mind or the ego does not have the answer. We must learn to trust our Higher Self to provide the answer through our intuition. Once we decide what we want, or where we want to go, we need to give up all preconceived notions about how we are going to get there. If you have always been plagued with money problems, then it is obvious that what you are doing is not working for you. Still, there is a natural tendency to apply the same unworkable theories to solve your money problems with the same thinking and logic that got you into trouble in the first place.
If you could somehow come to accept that your Higher Self knows more about your situation that you do, and it has the answer you are seeking, you could begin to relax and let go. What this means is that you must give up hope. That’s right! You must give up hope that something outside of you must change before things get better for you.
Stop saying things like:
“I hope this works.”
“I hope things get better.”
“I hope someone will come to my rescue.” “I hope someone will listen to me.”
“I hope someone will take care of me.” “I hope someone will make me happy.”
Hope is what keeps all suffering in place. We continue to suffer because we are not willing to change what needs to be changed within ourselves. Instead, we hope that something or someone outside of ourselves will change and bring us what we want. In time, we become prisoners of hope. We fall victim to it. And soon, we are totally hopeless.
Unfortunately, most people believe in the long-range futility of hope. For many months, or even years, they hope that they might one day be delivered from something that has been plaguing their lives. But it is only when they realize that they are hopeless that their life begins to change for the better. As they become hopeless, they begin to assume some responsibility and take some constructive action!
A – ACTION
It is easy enough to train yourself to give up hope and take action. Once you are ready to admit to yourself that you have done everything you possibly can, there is always hope because your Higher Self knows what to do. It always has. In the case of the hopeless alcoholic or suicidal person, it gives them a number to call. It prods them into taking action. Even life-saving action.
Think back to any time in your life where acted on instinct or had a sudden, unexplainable urge to do something? Have you every found yourself reacting to people or situations in a kind of intuitive way? What do you suppose was really going on? Where do you suppose all those warnings, suggestions, and ideas were really coming from? Do you think that they are just floating around “out there” and that one or two occasionally manage to filter into your brain? Looking back, consider all the times that this has happened, and ask yourself if there could possibly be that many coincidences in life? And if they are not coincidences, then what ARE they?
I think you know. I think you know, at least on a subconscious level, that there is some powerful force at work here, and that it is always working FOR you, never against you. Only YOU work against you, by refusing to
acknowledge this higher source of wisdom and power, by refusing to tap into it, by refusing to take action!
N – NEGATIVITY, THE ELIMINATION OF
It would be totally unrealistic to insist that negativity plays no part in change. The fact is that negativity is always there, acting as a resistive force. Negative thinking encourages us NOT to upset the status quo. It immobilizes us with fear of the unknown. It reminds us how much easier and more comfortable we will be if we remain with our old familiar routine. It causes us to want to survive rather than succeed.
Whether your immediate desire is to survive or succeed, you will need to address a number of negative factors in life each and every day. The fact is, you are literally surrounded by them. Have you ever stopped to notice all the negative indicators in your car? What happens when you are running low on gas? When the radiator is in need of water? When you are low on transmission fluid or oil? Why, a lot of red lights come on, bells and buzzers begin to sound, and the gauges on your dash begin to give you some pretty ominous readings.
Running out of gas on the freeway in rush-hour traffic could certainly be considered a negative situation. In any case, I’ve never met anyone who was HAPPY about it. But where is it written that we must ignore all negative signals.
I have known many people who end up cursing their cars for running out of gas. “I just don’t understand it!” they will say. “Every other car I’ve ever owned still had one or two gallons of gas left in the tank when the needle registered empty. But not THIS one! When it says empty, it
really means empty!”
I am always highly amused at this particular attitude toward negative indicators since, of course, they were actually meant to teach and to warn us. It is important to increase your sensitivity to the negative side of life. In every instance, we should be willing to take some corrective action in order to eliminate any undesirable influence. On the other hand, if our negative feelings are based on unfounded fears and survival, we must see it for what it is – something that does not serve us. In considering a major change in your life, it will be necessary to deal with the negative urge to keep things as they are. You should be constantly on guard for this limited kind of thinking, and even more important, you should be willing to DO something about it!
The first thing you must do is acknowledged that negative thoughts exist. Refusing to acknowledge them will never cause them to go away. For a time, they may be ignored or suppressed, but eventually, they will rise to the surface. It is better to deal with them at once and get them out of the way. The easiest way is to replace the negative thought with a positive one. That’s using negativity in a truly positive way.
G – GRATIFICATION
As children, most of us enjoyed a lot of special treats, a number of which were delicious things to eat and drink. As a child, I remember that one of the greater disappointments of my life involved snow cones. Not that I didn’t like them! I could of nothing more delightful on a hot summer’s day than that tasty little mound of flavored crushed ice. The problem was, I never really learned how to appreciate my snow cone, and that was why it was a constant disappointment to me. You see, I had gotten into the habit of sucking out all the flavoring through the bottom of my cone, which then left me with a lot of bland tasting, slushy ice. I did this because I was eager to get to the best part, just as other youngsters were when they gobbled up all the icing on their cake.
Throughout our lives, we continue to go for the “icing on the cake.” We want it, we get it, we gobble it up, and suddenly, it’s gone! We are a nation of people who have come to believe in instant gratification. Whatever it is we want, we want NOW! Why save money for something if you can charge it? Why involve yourself in a physical fitness program in order to feel better when you can just as easily pop a pill? Why work for a living when you can collect unemployment?
Why work at ALL as long as there is a chance that you might win the lottery? There is something fundamentally wrong with this mind-set. It is not based on working for and earning what we want. Rather it is based on having and owning. But just having and owning provides no long- term
gratification.
Can you remember the first car you ever owned? Most people can, if it was one they really worked and struggled and saved for! It was paid for in cash, and while it wasn’t new, it was better than new since it was a symbol of honest effort expended.
Whatever you have ever owned or now own that came to you in a similar way is undoubtedly something you value. Why do you think this is?
Have you ever known people who inherited a large sum of money and who seemed to feel guilty about their wealth? Why do you think this is?
You have undoubtedly known people who did not know how to handle money. They had too much of everything, lived beyond their means, drank too much or did drugs.
These individuals had not yet come to understand how self-gratification was intended to work. An important motivation for change is the gratification of accomplishment. There is nothing wrong in indulging or rewarding yourself for a job well done, particularly if you have managed to achieve a long-range goal that has required much in the way or patience, determination, and skill.
Generally, you will know when you have a right to feel proud of yourself, when you’ve earned whatever it is you now wish to buy. The best part of all is that the reward itself will continue to be a constant reminder of a worthwhile accomplishment.
E – ENTHUSIASM
Enthusiasm is the one of the most powerful motivating forces for change. You can build your enthusiasm by thinking about achieving your long-range goals instead of the many complex steps along the way. Think about the people you can help with your product or service, and all the money you will earn for doing what you love to do. Such thoughts will generate enthusiastic feelings and cause you to ACT enthusiastic! Others will quickly respond to your enthusiasm, and soon it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. Whatever you give out will always come back to you.
Put a smile in your voice and a spring in your step. Exude some positive emotion and excitement and see how others respond. As they begin to comment on your “contagious enthusiasm,” you will notice your spirits beginning to lift.
Although your emotions are not always subject to reason, they are always subject to your own deliberate actions. They are strongly
influenced by everything you say and do, and also, by what others say and do.
The fact is, you have many things to be enthusiastic about. Think about those things and allow yourself to feel grateful – and happy. And there you have it! Keep it up! And remember to share your enthusiasm with everyone around you.
Now then, what do you think about change, the word and the process itself? If you choose to see it as it has been defined here, you will see it as a beneficial influence, as a new beginning, as a rebirth!
Remember that nothing will change until YOU do! Nothing can ever be different until you make it so. If you are confused or hesitant about doing things another way, let me make it easy for you.
At first, it is not even necessary for you to undertake another plan of action. It is quite enough to cease taking the wrong action, which you have always assumed, must be right. If what you are doing isn’t working for you, it couldn’t possibly be right! So, just stop dong it. This, in itself, will gradually bring about some major changes in your life.
If people who are a constant drain upon you presently surround you, you need only stop encouraging their friendship. Nothing else needs to be done.
If you are constantly obligated to others, you need only stop committing yourself to them.
If you are not really interested in visiting with your great-aunt Mildred in Paducah, then just stop going there!
The changes that are brought about by discontinuing wrong actions will gradually encourage more positive changes. Since change is inevitable, you should anticipate it with optimism and joy. It is your only way out of a bad situation. It is the only way you can ever move from where you are to where you want to be. You will never be able to make an omelet until you are ready to break some eggs.
Most human beings live the way they choose, but not the way they want. Our choices generally come from acquired beliefs, habits, and tastes. What we want can only come to us through change.
Self-transformation begins the moment you are ready to admit that what others want for you is not what YOU want. However, no matter how you have been programmed to think, act, and feel, you can always do it differently. You can always change.
NOT changing will prove much harder in the long run. Think about the next time you read about someone being sentenced in life in prison. Ask yourself what you have been sentenced to through your own unwillingness to change. Do you like your work? Your friends? Do you like where you are living? And HOW you are living? Are you earning all the money you will ever need or want?
Do you understand the nature of your own imprisonment in accepting things as they are? Would you like to be given a reprieve, a second chance to make things right? You HAVE that chance! Every day of the year. Every hour of the day. Every minute of every hour. But the clock is ticking. Time is passing. The years are rolling by. Do you think you would have been motivated to buy this book if it were entitled: BEING RESIGNED TO WHAT YOU DO – LOVING WHAT YOU’RE
RESIGNED TO? I doubt it.
Are you presently leading that sort of life? Why? You don’t have to. You can CHANGE it! Now! Today!
If you sense that your habit-infested life is starting to fall apart, well, good for you! It wasn’t much of a life anyway, was it?
As you continue to feed your own Inner Light, a fresh new fire will glow.
Once you have caught your first glimpse of what it means to live above your shallow and above your mechanical reactions, you will feel truly reborn!
Heightened self-awareness gradually brings us to the realization that it is necessary to change. We begin to understand that this is actually an awakening process, a way in which to blossom and grow.
Can you think of anything more exciting than knowing you are on the right road at last? Picture yourself walking along a path of constant sunlight. The darkness and shadows are gone.
Never fear change! Love it above all else, for it is change that will allow you to break through the barriers of your self-imposed prison. It is change that will set your free!