The Change that Comes From Within
by/Margit Cathrine moller

If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. –Bruce in Finding Nemo

We all change. Sometimes, we do so by our own choosing. Moving to a new place, shifting career, getting married, having a child, or having botox injections are changes that are we have decided upon ourselves.

But sometimes, we change because it is part of the natural flow of life. We age. That is a truth that we have to embrace gracefully. For together with that, we experience physical changes. Our wrinkles begin to appear. Our hair turns gray. Our sight grows dim. Mothers will be facing empty nests when their kids go to school or move on with their married lives.

And then there are changes that are brought upon us. These are dictated or determined by our external environments. New politics, traffic rerouting, curfew, zoning are examples of this. We don’t have a choice over our neighbors. That officemate we so care about might decide one day to transfer to Paris or Japan. We have to deal with these changes as they come.

Nature brings its own changes. The seasons change, and that is one thing that could be predicted. But nature can sometimes unleash its force through calamities and disasters that will change the face of the earth.

And then there is a change from within. The purest of them all, this kind of change is something that we truly desire and truly work for. This could be as simple as planning a new wardrobe or learning a new language. But there are changes that are a lifelong process such as quitting alcohol or stopping to smoke. I salute those people who have to make those decisions every minute of their lives.

But there is a beautiful process of change from within that we all should work for – and that is to reach our maximum potential. To reclaim our inner power and transform our lives and those around us, that is the process of empowerment that we are called to undertake.

Oftentimes, these changes start with discontentment and emptiness inside. Unfortunately, we think food or alcohol can fulfill when in fact what we long for are nourishments of the body, the mind and the spirit. We can’t separate all these in the process of empowerment. We cannot change our behaviors without healing our body and freeing our spirit. Change from within means a path to the process of being whole.

And this is where change becomes a truly wonderful journey. Yes it is about results. But it is also about the process. And those of us who are in life coaching and counseling make sure that this journey is as enjoyable and as meaningful as the destination itself.