Be an Agent of Change

While it’s easy to think that change happens on the outside, the opposite is true. While everyday circumstances effect our lives, we have the power to change our circumstances. How you may ask? By becoming an agent of change, that’s how!

You know them when you see them. They’re the individuals who make things happen. When something goes wrong, they don’t wait around for someone else to fix it – they take situations into their own hands and inspire others to join them. What is it about these people that causes others to see their points of view? It begins with passion.

Agents of change know themselves and their beliefs and are passionate about them. Whether or not others agree or disagree with them doesn’t deter them from moving forward with their vision. On the downside, sometimes those who bring about change tend toward single-mindedness, but in truth, those who make the most profound differences are able to see all sides of an issue. They simply stake their claim to a perspective, most of which take root in bettering things for themselves and their communities – from their families to the world at large.

Intention and breath
People who live with intention and have a proactive lifestyle afford themselves the luxury of no longer reacting to life, but living it! So how do you go from watching things happen to making them happen? Like everything else, this change begins at home.

Consider yourself. Are you so caught up in the day to day that you’re pressed for a moment to breathe? You’ve got to take some time for you! The most productive people – even those who make change on a grand scale – know when it’s time to quit. There’s a certain productivity threshold that once crossed, generates negative results. Whether it’s making time to meditate, going for a massage or simply vegging out with a good book every once in awhile, your “you” time has got to be a non-negotiable! This helps to plant your feet firmly on the ground – a necessary component of changing your surroundings.

Careful consideration
Once you’re feeling more in tune with yourself, consider what is it that you’d like to see changed. What would be something that would make a big impact on your quality of life? How could you see it realized? Whether you’re looking at a better way to spend time with your family, a campaign to create better homeless shelters in your area, or ways to broaden and improve the social lives of you and your friends doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you choose a project for which there is a real need – and not just for you, but for everyone involved. Self-interest may help you get going, but at the end of the day, it’s not going to be enough to foster long-lasting change.

Now that you know what you want to do, don’t be afraid to take chances. Deciding you want to make a change may not mean that you know exactly what those chances are, but you have to be willing to find out. If you fall into the ever so common “I don’t know what’s wrong, but something has to be fixed” category, you’re not alone. But armed with self-knowledge and a desire to attain your own highest good, you’re already on the right track.