Be the Change You Want to See

    We're running a campaign advocating for children in need around the globe. One of our team members is a beautiful young woman both in visage and in spirit, who is alive and well today because of the kindness and generosity complete strangers bestowed onto her during her fight for survival. When asked why she joined the campaign for change she poignantly stated, "I want to be the change I want to see."
     That resonated deeply within each of us days before the campaign began and we refer to this phrase often because no matter what personal experience motivates us in fighting for the children and families we serve the bottom line is that individually we want to be the change we want to see.
     You don't have to come from the poverty and injustice of a third world country to be a force of change. It's important to remember that change is inevitable. Change happens all the time because time itself never ceases. So I always say, "why not take the reins and make positive changes?"
     Regardless of your personal aspirations in life, at any point in time you have the capacity to take hold of the reins and BE the change you want to see. For instance, if you are not happy with your physical appearance and want people to find you attractive, you must first get to a place mentally where you can look into the mirror and put your own judgments aside. Love yourself looking back at you. Appreciate the image in the reflection. Attitude is everything.
     Change the perception you have of yourself from unworthy of attracting others, to acknowledging your own personal beauty. Dress to impress and wear it with confidence and you will immediately notice the change in how others perceive you. The motivation to make the positive changes you want for your physicality (to diet, begin a workout regimen, adapt to healthier eating habits, etc) come naturally when you feel good about yourself.
      In sessions with a young bubbly woman in her early twenties who desperately wanted to build her confidence enough to engage in normal conversation, she continuously fretted over the blank screen in her head during every social engagement. She admitted right away that she was surrounded by people daily who spoke with superficial tongues but she couldn't understand why she stumbled on her words before shying away completely whenever an opinion was asked of her.
     She had figuratively beaten herself up over the recurring circumstances so much that she believed she was incapable of engaging in conversation and consequently refrained from trying to interact with people elsewhere. As our sessions progressed she became the change she wanted to see in herself as with others. She began opening up with strangers on the bus and found herself freely flowing in meaningful conversations about the spiritual connection between human beings and the Earth inhabited. Eventually, this young woman created a circle of friends within her school, her family and her community with whom she conversed daily with no extra effort against apprehension.
     Change often times is essential for survival, not just in impoverished remote countries around the world, but right in our very homes. Staggering statistics show that one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime and men are victims of nearly 3 million reported domestic assaults. A woman in her early thirties initially realized the danger she and her young children were in when her husband threatened to kill the entire family. She took his threat seriously as he had recently begun physical attacks on her only while she was holding their infant child.
     Her goal was to have a peaceful home, and she knew right away that the only way to attain that goal was to begin with herself and emulate the peace she sought for the rest of her family members despite all the antagonistic efforts of her husband. Though she was not able to salvage her marriage, through courage, patience and perseverance she kept the abuse in her home to a bare minimum, bringing her children and herself some semblance of peace before she was able to make the ultimate empowering move toward divorce.
   So whether you want people to treat you with respect, kindness, admiration and attraction, or something else you must first treat yourself with respect, kindness, admiration and attraction followed by treating others in the same manner. To BE is a verb. It takes action~ proactive action. BE the change you want to see and you will see the change!

Peace, Love & Light~
Becky Nolan
True You Solutions