Joy In The Moment
Power to Change
By Joy Pape
“Don’t underestimate the power you have to change yourself and don’t overestimate the power you have to change others.”
-Wayne Dyer
If you think you have to change, you have a lot of power to do so. Sometimes it’s just making a decision and sticking to it. If you have difficulty, get help from someone you trust and respect. Then, if it resonates with you, follow the advice. Like exercise, it can be tough at first. As you build some muscle, you get stronger.
If you think someone else has to change, you don’t have as much power. That person must want to change. If you are waiting for others to change, you may never feel better because you are looking at something outside of you to change. This doesn’t mean we don’t try to make a better world. The way to do this is to first change the world between our two ears—our mind is the world we live in.
Examples
A person you love does something you just can’t stand. You’ve told them over and over again how it bothers you but they just don’t change. It eats at you every time it happens.
Ask Yourself
How important is this person to you?
How much is this bothering you?
Is it worth giving up your relationship?
You Have a Choice
Stay in the relationship and choose how you will let the action affect you. Can you let “it” eat at you and the love you have for that person? OR Leave the relationship because “it” is so annoying. Let this annoyed feeling brew in your mind OR change your mind and accept it.
Perhaps the person will change or not, but it’s not eating at you anymore. You have peace.
You want to lose some weight. Everywhere you look there seems to be foods that aren’t conducive to what you need. You may blame advertising, your friends or whoever is serving or tempting you to eat.
Ask Yourself
What is my goal?
What is it stopping me from reaching my goal?
Don’t blame others and don’t blame yourself. You have the power to make choices to help you reach your goals. Just decide how to do it differently and make a better life for yourself.
Changing what you don’t like in yourself is possible, it makes for a better world and brings joy in the moment.
