Ken Ferrara
"You must be the Change you wish to see in the world."
This profound quote holds answers
to the riddles of world peace, environmental issues, eliminating world hunger
and suffering, and creating more care and compassion in our world. While that
is a lot to ask from a group of twelve words, those same words have even more
influence — unlocking gates of fulfillment and happiness in your life. They
open doors to better health, improved relationships, attitudes of gratitude,
becoming more patient and selfless, as well as finding purpose.
On the surface, Gandhi's insights may seem warm,
fuzzy, and well intentioned, but once we get down to brass tacks, do they lack
real-world practicality? After all,
what can one person do to bring about change? Well, the answer may surprise
you. Consider a variation of Gandhi's quote; "You must be the change you
need in your life in order to be the change you wish to see in our
world." Good, positive, beneficial
changes you make — becoming healthier, treating others better, and improving
your outlook, will enhance your life in many ways and encourage you to share
goodness.
"I wanted to change the world –
but I found that the only thing one
can be
sure of changing is oneself."
-Aldous Huxley
I like to quote the statement above when people ask me
what inspired me to write this book. I was tired of the negativity and
pessimism in my life as well as in the world at large. I noticed people were
mean, impatient, and intolerant. Violence, greed and selfishness seemed to be
prevalent everywhere I looked, leading me to ask, “Why can’t we show more
kindness and be more giving, trusting, grateful, and understanding? Why do
people (myself included) have to be selfish and negative?”
I woke up to the fact that in order for this world to
change, I must be the one to change. Of course, saying I would stop thinking
and acting negatively is much easier said than done. But goodness, in all of
its facets and dimensions, brings about such powerfully positive, productive
results that I simply had to try my hardest to change for the better — you only
get what you give.
~
A Tale of Two Wolves ~
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a
battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two
wolves inside us all. The first wolf is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy,
sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority,
lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The second wolf
is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness,
benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.” The grandson
thought about it for a moment and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf
wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
—Author Unknown
I would venture to say that
many, if not most people believe our world is not as good as it could be. If
this is how you feel, as I do, it's important to recognize that you and I have
the power to change that fact. Start by taking a step back from all aspects of
your daily routine to see what and where you can improve, and start thinking
about how you can make your difference — in your life and just as importantly,
in the lives of others.
We all have our good moments,
and dare I say, less than stellar times, but I think it’s safe to say most of
us could find ways to live a better life. Do I have things I need to work on?
Sure! (Ask my wife or kids, and I’m sure they could draw up a nice long list.)
However, when I observe myself, I wear the proverbial ‘rose-colored glasses’
and think I’m a little better than I actually am. I don’t necessarily see areas
where I can improve or how I am selfish, unhealthy, indifferent, or even
hurtful to others. That's why it's important to delve deep into daily habits,
routines, and thoughts to see what needs work. Also, asking others who know you
well can really open your eyes to what needs changing, but we'll get to that
later.
Plenty of opportunities to
think and act with more goodness in every aspect of life present themselves
everyday. From talking to a family member or friend you have not spoken with
for years to simply letting that car pull out in front of you; from living a
healthy lifestyle to maintaining a positive perspective, you can make good
choices that will bring immense benefits to you and yours.
Speaking of being positive,
imagine for a moment that a kitchen table is in front of you, and on that table
is a glass filled exactly halfway to the top with water. If you ask different
people to describe what they see, you will get three profoundly different
answers. The first description, which is optimistic, positive, and cheerful, is
that the glass is half-full (maybe even overflowing!). With this perspective,
the glass has plenty of water; you can enjoy it, share it with others, and feel
good about it. The second description is a little on the pessimistic side —
stating that the glass is half-empty. This makes you worry if there will be
enough water, so you don't share as much as you should and constantly think
about having enough. The third description, the most negative of the bunch is,
"What glass are you talking about? I don't see a glass."
What does that glass of water
look like to you? On the full side? On the empty side? Or, "What
glass?" As life brings blessings and trials, I'm sure each of us describes
our own "glass of water" in each of those ways, I know I certainly
have.
Questioning if you can become a
better person in today’s hectic, sometimes-unforgiving world is natural. Have
you ever thought, “I am so busy caring for my responsibilities that I just
don’t have time right now, I will get to it when I am better off.” Or what
about, “Things are so messed up, busy, and difficult nowadays, can I really
bring about change and make a difference?” Absolutely! And there are
powerful reasons to do just that.
Are you ready to...
