World of Change: Impact of The Individual
by This article covers how we can change the world or our own surroundings through self awareness and actions. Three separate terms are used to reference how we can initiate change and how they relate to each other. The impact an individual has on their ability to change things as well as additional resources are included.
2. Cause and Effect
One way to look at cause and effect is to realize how you want others to act around you and treat you as an individual. Each of us needs to understand that we, as individuals, become the cause. Our own actions and the way we treat others has a direct effect on another’s actions and how they treat us. If we treat them with kindness, sincerity and respect, then we are providing the cause for others to do the same. Providing the cause will create an effect on others and has a direct impact on our ability to change the world as it directly corresponds to us. In the same regard, if we treat another in a disrespectful, insincere manner and with a lack of kindness, we tend to get the same in return. Understanding how our cause can have a direct positive or negative effect on our surroundings is the beginning of our understanding of how we can directly effect a change the world.
3. Become the Change
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world” – Gandhi
If we want to change our world and have others treat us in a specific manner, then we must become that change. If we want others to be more respectful of us, then we must become an example of the respect through action. I have heard the quote “what we surround ourselves with, we become.” This tells us that by surrounding ourselves with people that are generally happy and respectful, we will become happier and more respectful. If you look at this from a third person view, you realize that our surrounding have become the action, cause and change. Our surroundings are having a direct reaction, effect and change on our own self being.
I prefer to change that quote slightly to read “we surround ourselves with what we are.” Using this example, we don’t rely on others to be the action, cause or change. We rely on ourselves to be the action, cause and change to others. Simply by becoming happier about what we do and more respectful of others will create the change we are seeking. Others will react to the way we present ourselves, we will have a direct effect on them as individuals and we will initiate a change by becoming the change.
Our potential for change
Once we realize our potential to create a specific reaction, effect or change in others, we will have acquired the knowledge of how to change the world. We will understand how a single individual can have an impact on others around them. The same actions that have brought about hate, discrimination and general disrespect for another has the ability to create the opposite effect. The actions that were used to make an individual rude or degrading could have the same individual become friendlier and more supportive through our own actions. Through our ability to love, accept and be respectful of others, we can change the world. The first thing to understand is that changing the world starts with changing your own surroundings. Changing the world begins with the individual and creates a chain reaction to those that surround us. As you look back on the original question that I asked “If I could change the world, I would…” it is my hopes that you now finish the statement with “start with myself.”
Resources or additional information:
Changing Your Life Through Self Awareness By Willie Horton
http://ezinearticles.com/?Changing-Your-Life-Through-Self-Awareness&id=6180336
How to Lead By Example: Dr. Schuler’s Ten Rules for Working and Living by A. J. Schuler, Psy. D.
http://www.schulersolutions.com/how_to_lead_by_example.html
Leading by Example (Making sure you “walk the talk”) as found on MindTools
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