Change and Transformation

Change is one of those words that conjures up thoughts of giving something up or doing something differently. In essence, that is the truest definition. Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, French writer, wrote after the Revolutionary War, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

This quote can be hard to decipher, but I believe it means for true change to occur, one must be committed to change before anything can happen. So, without true commitment, things will stay the same. Once true commitment happens, then consistency moves the course of change forward for something new to last.

With Change Comes Loss

With change comes some sort of loss, good or bad. If someone wants to lose weight they may get committed to working out, or eating a healthier diet. The change happens, and they lose the weight. They stay motivated. Change in behavior leads to loss of weight.

When a relationship ends, for better or for worse, change comes. There is the sadness associated with the loss. True commitment to allowing the changes to take place can empower someone to move forward. That does not mean someone does not work hard to maintain relationships, but there are times when they end. It is in those times the change will teach us something if we allow it. With change comes loss.

Changing jobs, moving, going to new a school and grief over loss and death, create change in our lives, welcomed or unwelcomed. It is what we do with it that makes a difference.

Creating Your Own Transformation

If a person is feeling burned out or overly stressed most days, then change towards something positive needs to happen. If our relationships have become toxic, then perhaps some change and re-focus is needed. Maybe it is empty nest reality. When children grow up, move on and move out, change has taken place whether we embrace it or not. Empty nest can be a time for turning loss into new experiences.

Finding the motivation to create change in our lives can be difficult. Many times we feel alone and have no support to make positive transformation a reality. Perhaps we like our comfort zone of the status quo and fear stepping out of that arena. Whatever drives your inner desire to make true change part of your life, listen to that. Enlist the support of family and great friends. Trust your intuition that change can be empowering.

Remember the more things change the more they stay the same.

Decide if your transformation is real or not. Invest the time.