As the year comes to a close, we cannot help but think about what lies ahead of us. Change is going to happen and it is inevitable. For many of us, the beginning of a brand new year signifies a new chapter. Hence, we tend to get nostalgic and look back on the past twelve months. And rightfully so. Oh, what changes – little and big ones – we each might have gone through during the year. As we stand on the verge of entering a new chapter (year, that is), our minds are playing all the moments of transition before us – and we watch. It’s when we realize what impact change has (had) on each of our lives. Because it’s a beautiful, yet sometimes unsettling thing as we embrace the unknown. Come change, come hope, come new opportunities. Therefore, embrace the start of something fresh and new.
Change – A Constant
Have you ever really sat down and thought about change? It’s like the tides’ changing: it comes and goes in our lives, but often, change happens rapidly. Sometimes, though, it’s a gradual process. But the fact is, it’s the only thing that’s a constant, as there is continuous change. Isn’t that ironic?
There is nothing permanent except change – Heraclitus
We go through life and look back on specific times. Visually speaking, we get a bird’s eye view on a specific chapter of our lives – just like it’s depicted by the image above. There have been waves washing ashore and just like that, we have faced change. We might have built a sandcastle but with the next wave, chances are, it collapses. Change happens. And a new chance to build a whole new castle in the sand has been given to us. It’s a cycle constantly offering the chance to build something new.
Change as Opportunity
Sometimes, we actively embrace change because we need or even want to make a decision. However, this is not saying that change is ever easy. Not knowing the repercussions of a decision can be scary. “What will happen once I have spoken the words, made the move, and ultimately distanced myself from what was before?”
Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything – George Bernard Shaw
Yet, a transformation can be easier if only we keep the right mindset. Focus. Positive thoughts. Being out in nature and feeling the grounding forces can help us reflect upon change. Transformation will bring something even more beautiful than before. It usually does. Because change is opportunity. We just need to see it. And nature, with its seasons, shows us exactly this.
Truly Learning Means Change
If we want to learn, grow, evolve, and chase our dreams, making adjustments along the way to reach our destination is crucial. We cannot know if we will ever get what we desire, but one thing is for sure: If we don’t take the next step towards the inevitable unknown, which then can potentially lead us closer to our goals, we will not be able to reach it.
Change is the end result of all true learning – Leo Buscaglia
Let us not be prisoners of our own thoughts and current ways of life. But let us look ahead, slightly twist our perspectives, and realize that something new – the unforeseeable future – is so raw, which, seeing it as a blank piece of paper, allows us to write our very own stories. Grasp at this opportunity. You never know what turns it will take. But remember: If you are able to embark on the journey of constant change, then you have truly learned and expanded your horizons.
Now, slide into the new year and make it a wonderful one. And maybe be the change you want to see? It’s never too early to begin.
