Inside Out With Remi Agbabiaka
A New Way of Viewing Change
We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.
– Harrison Ford
Each day that passes provides us with the opportunity to witness change occurring. From the sun rising and setting to watching children grow before our eyes – change truly is the only guarantee in this life. So why are we so resistant to it? Why do so many of us feel like change is punishment? When we unexpectedly lose a job, face a breakdown in a relationship, or even experience an unplanned move, our whole world can feel as if it is completely shaken. Those changes certainly don’t feel good at all but then that’s life itself. I don’t know what stage you might be in this race of life but honestly without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken. As I was writing this piece, my colleague in the office told me that he was feeling somehow unmotivated, he wanted a change in his life, a change in the things he does et cetera, I knew instantly then that this piece was not misplaced. Moreso, Nigeria as a country is also witnessing change in her polity and it would be nice to encourage us all to embrace it.
But then change is complex – it has many layers. It forces us to grow, and growth is often painful. It can give us that push into pain and discomfort that we so often avoid. I looked into the root cause of our phobia for change and deeply rooted is fear! Fear of change, Not wanting to be uncomfortable, Fear of uncertainty, Fear of failure, Fear of not being good enough. Coupled with fear comes other excuses like being tired, not having time, being busy with all kinds of things, waiting for something to happen, Perfectionism, Being overwhelmed with all that you have to do, not knowing how. Yes, all these may be true but one thing is truer and that’s the fact that if you don’t make a conscious effort to change, time will change you, so it is better for you to change and have the opportunity to determine your next step in life. We all have these fears and reasons for not taking action. They’re all bullshit, they’re not good enough reasons for inaction. They can all be overcome. I’ve dealt with them, and so have thousands, millions of others. You’re no worse than me or anyone else, you can face these fears.
Now let me help you a little, the change you desire should be motivated by purpose, if you have not discovered your reason for living, then its time you went for a walk and think about it. Myles Munroe said, everyman has a purpose in life, the creator has a reason for making you, its your responsibility to find it. Launching into the world of journalism wasn’t easy for me as a medical scientist but I just found joy doing it and its what I do now with no regrets. What I am saying is change in your life must make you a more fulfilled person and that’s when you can look back to this juncture and appreciate the journey of life. Finding your purpose gives you the enthusiasm required to launch the change you desire. Like reading this article means you desire a change and that change requires an action. Make time out to dream and plan for the change you desire! When will you start making the change? In the morning, in the evening, during your lunch break? Don’t wait for the change to happen — make it happen. Block off some time on your calendar each day, even if it’s just 10 or 15 minutes. If you don’t have the time, think about how long you spend each day on Facebook, TV, games, or doing smaller tasks that aren’t as important. Push those back for just a bit, and do what’s most important to you first. Surround yourself with others making a similar change themselves, others who will support your change. And don’t forget, even skyscrapers are built a brick at a time, if you’re overwhelmed by a large change, or a bunch of large change, just focus on one small step. What small action can you take today that will move you forward? It might be something as simple as “do an Internet search about selling my quilts online”. Take a small step, and get moving. Movement begets movement. Now take another small step. This is how change is created. One thing I am sure of is that, there is a time and a season in everyone’s life, whether you crave it or not, the time would come and although it may not feel positive, the role of change is ultimately to move us toward personal evolution. To take us to our next chapter in life – a chapter that we can truly write ourselves and that should be the motivation
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