Change Starts With Myself

We can only change ourselves.  I've found that this is a statement that is very easy to understand and very hard to live up to.  Many of us seem to be programmed in some strange mode where we feel we must change the entire world.  No matter how hard we try we are focusing outside of us and trying to fix what we see.  It's a hard habit to break.  It really is!

I often catch myself looking outward and wishing so much for changes and then realizing that if I would focus inward on MYSELF I could maybe actually accomplish something.  Focusing outward comes so much easier and feels so much better.  It's more comfortable to feel that it's the world that's being difficult or causing the problems, not ourselves.

The funny thing that I've noticed is that the more I focus on others and try to "fix" them, the more frustrated the both of us become.  Obviously, this tells me something isn't quite working out with the focusing outward.  Many, many sources tell us if we want to discover the source of our distress, the source of our discomfort and unease all we have to do is look in a mirror.  OUCH  that one always kind of feels like a little kick in the pants.  I get it, I just can't seem to always hang on to it.

It helps if we can remember that when we are handing out advice or sharing our wisdom, the one who usually needs to hear that wisdom or advice the most is our self.   Let's think about that one...are we willing to follow our own advice?  Are we following are own advice?  Are we speaking to others in a manner we ourselves would like to be spoken to?

I know that I've realized over and over again if I want to help clean up the world I need to start by cleaning up my own house first.  That seems to be one of the most difficult yet most beneficial jobs we've got.