Bringing change in ourselves is just as hard as trying to find ways to organize our busy days. We talk of change, most times, with a romantic perspective. We say things like “I am going to lose 10lbs this year”, “I am going to learn more about x or y this month”,
We make affirmations about the change we seek with certainty. Before we begin.. Some will say create deadlines or break things down into steps to achieve change. Others will say you need willpower to change this or that.
I find the most simple (and effective) start to change is simply trying new things. This week there were many new things that were asked of me to do that needed to be done for a branding project we have undertaken. They were small, but different, things that I had never done.
I didn’t have a clear idea of how to do them at first. That took time. Nor did I had the confidence in doing these new things such that they will be executed well. Even now, after doing many of them, I confess that I don’t totally understand everything I need to about them.
In six months, I am certain my world will have changed because of these new things. Both in terms of moving towards the results I was seeking, as well as my personal skills will have grown.
None of this happened because I declared it up front with certainty. (Remember, this is the most common way all of us approach change.)
All of this happened because I tried new things. It’s as simple as that. Yes, I was spinning my wheels a bit at the beginning. Yes, not everything I did was perfect. Yes, there were some twists and turns along the way.
Declaring the change you want will never make it real, Remember to simply start by trying new things to help you find a path to make the change you seek appear. Eat something different. Travel somewhere you have not been. Read something that is new to you. Go out of your way to meet someone different.
New things are the only hope we have to help us move from where we are today.
As with so many things in life, it’s that simple and yes, so hard.