Some of my favorite Quotes
"Everything rises and falls on leadership." John Maxwell
"We grow great by dreams. All great men are dreamers." Woodrow Wilson (no relation)
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Mohatma Gandhi

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Evolution - we can make it personal

EVOLUTION is one topic that is sure to provoke some differing opinions depending upon who you’re talking to. Some don’t believe that they’re descendants of apes while others can’t believe that everyone doesn’t treat this as fact. In the next 12 months, we will all evolve in one way or another -


We will all have the chance to leave old habits behind and develop new ones, or simply continue as we have for the past 12 months and possibly regress in some areas. There will be new things to entertain us and new problems to challenge us in every area of our lives. We can choose to let our lives stay on the same path we’ve been on, or “take the road less traveled by”. The easy path isn’t necessarily the best path.

We are all products of the circumstance and past experiences we’ve had. They have influenced us in many ways. We have no control over what lies behind us, therefore our history cannot be changed. Our future however is a different story. Even though where we are right now in our life has been influenced by the past choices we made, that doesn’t have to be the last chapter in our life’s story. We are responsible for where we go from this point forward. We can choose where we will go from here. We get to take part in our own personal “evolution”. It's an inside job.

A year is an awful long time and we will be influenced. The choice we all have is what (and who) do we allow to influence us? Over the next 12 months, chances are we will all change due to influences on our lives. We will have an opportunity to grow into a brand new person – if we choose to. The only question is whether or not we will have the skills and habits necessary to grow (or evolve) into a new and improved self.

Gradually each and every day, we are gradually influenced by the small, seemingly insignificant things that happen around us. Most of us are influenced more by the environment we surround our selves with then we realize. Many studies have shown that those who watch the most television are more fearful, anxious and more stressed. What we listen to frequently does influence and eventually shape our lives.

We are the only species that can purposefully and intentionally direct our own evolution. It’s the most powerful weapon we have to battle stagnation. We would do well to choose carefully the environment we shower our mind with. We choose what we listen to in the car. We choose what books we read – or don’t read. We choose the people we associate with, then listen to their words and watch what they do. Our lives are shaped by those things we surround ourselves with on a regular basis.

Over the next 12 months, we have the opportunity to learn new words, ideas, skills and abilities. Or we can allow the New Year just be a rerun of the last 12 months? An old saying speaks volumes in this area: “If nothing changes, everything stays the same”. If next year is to change, we have to take a main role in affecting that change. We can choose to meet new people, read new books, listen to new ideas OR we can just go on as we have. Regardless of what we choose, that choice will slowly but surely cause a personal evolution over the next 12 months. Change is constant – growth (or evolution) is a personal choice for each of us. If enough people choose growth, we may see what Gandhi referenced when he said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Enjoy LIFE! Make 2012 your best!

No comments:

Post a Comment