Friday, 12 February 2010
Change
In life, we all encounter changes. Some are minor changes such as a new pen or a new hair-do, some are more significant (i.e. new laws, natural disasters, and so on). Some are forced on you (I don’t hear people going “Hell no, ain’t no earthquake gon’ shake my house down!”), some are circumstantial, others are self-inflicted. I am mainly referring to the latter two here.
So, how do we know when it is time for a change? What indications are there that we are ready? At times, do we know that change is (or was) necessary? Is it a leap of faith or mere folly?
The truth is if I could answer all the above, I would probably be a pretty wise man. For me, just the anticipation of the possibility of change petrifies me.
If it were at all up to me (and frankly, it never is), I would pick out my residence, occupation and social circle, and remain unchanged till the passing of (my) life. To those who claim this stagnant lifestyle will soon cripple one’s state of mind, I fret not for I find I am more than capable of easily amusing myself with silly little things. Why change something that’s already good? The hassle and stress are rarely worth the end result.
But I digressed.
Back to topic, some claim that when change is looming, we get this indisputable ‘gut feeling’ warning (as if our gut is never wrong). In other words, we just know when we know. Fine, let’s not argue about psychology, philosophy or semantics, and just accept that for now. What then?
How does one deal with change? Do we just ride the current and let it take us where it does, or do we resist it in hopes to ride it out instead? Do we make a calculated and informed move, or do we rely on the Almighty Gut (like, who needs a brain, right?) once more? And how does one know when we are going overboard in our attempts? Do we have a circuit breaker for when things get a little too out of control? A lot of people say we do and that it is called our sanity but I believe the judicial system have the term “temporary insanity” for a reason.
I, for one, believe in the principle of reasoning. If I were able to find a reason (or more) for an action, even if the reasoning makes little sense later on, I would be halfway onto executing it. The completion of said action will then be reliant on (you guessed it) my guts. That way, whatever move I make, impulsive or otherwise, I have the comfort of mind that I have given the matter some thought. However, as with all plans, this one is not foolproof either. For starters, the skill of reasoning is dependant on many factors (including stupidity). At times, something that is clearly right may just be wrong later on. Secondly, one organ might overrule the other leading to a standstill as both organs have an equal say (and sadly, this has happened to me more times than I would have liked).That is why, kids, you should never play fair However, overall, I would have to say that the principle of reasoning has served me well. Sure, there have been setbacks, regrets, and delayed reactions (and there are bound to be more), but it is hard not to admit that overall, I am at a pretty decent place right now (even if I am ten feet over the edge at the moment [that’s where change usually occur]).
Then one wonders about the chances (and changes) missed. Each opportunity for change is another fork in the road of life. There is never only one option for change. Hence, there will always be certain roads left untaken, and bends and turns unknown. There will always be whispers of doubt and what could have been, especially when the road taken begins to crumble (and it does happen… It’s all part and parcel of life). How do we know the changes we have made, we made for the better?
The answer for that, I do know. We don’t.
Invariably, in life, we have to make life-changing decisions. Sometimes we are lucky to be able to estimate how each option will pan out, but other times, we do not have such luxury. At best, we are able to consider the pro’s and con’s of each choice and that’s that. Eventually, we have to make a first move and believe that what we did was right. (At times, this false assurance helps more than you know.) How the rest of the journey falls into place, we will soon find out. And do not worry too much [I wish I would take my own advice] if the path taken seems bleak for there will be another fork in the road up ahead. Just remember to have faith, and a little confidence.
Hopefully, you will get it right the next time around.
So, how do we know when it is time for a change? What indications are there that we are ready? At times, do we know that change is (or was) necessary? Is it a leap of faith or mere folly?
The truth is if I could answer all the above, I would probably be a pretty wise man. For me, just the anticipation of the possibility of change petrifies me.
If it were at all up to me (and frankly, it never is), I would pick out my residence, occupation and social circle, and remain unchanged till the passing of (my) life. To those who claim this stagnant lifestyle will soon cripple one’s state of mind, I fret not for I find I am more than capable of easily amusing myself with silly little things. Why change something that’s already good? The hassle and stress are rarely worth the end result.
But I digressed.
Back to topic, some claim that when change is looming, we get this indisputable ‘gut feeling’ warning (as if our gut is never wrong). In other words, we just know when we know. Fine, let’s not argue about psychology, philosophy or semantics, and just accept that for now. What then?
How does one deal with change? Do we just ride the current and let it take us where it does, or do we resist it in hopes to ride it out instead? Do we make a calculated and informed move, or do we rely on the Almighty Gut (like, who needs a brain, right?) once more? And how does one know when we are going overboard in our attempts? Do we have a circuit breaker for when things get a little too out of control? A lot of people say we do and that it is called our sanity but I believe the judicial system have the term “temporary insanity” for a reason.
I, for one, believe in the principle of reasoning. If I were able to find a reason (or more) for an action, even if the reasoning makes little sense later on, I would be halfway onto executing it. The completion of said action will then be reliant on (you guessed it) my guts. That way, whatever move I make, impulsive or otherwise, I have the comfort of mind that I have given the matter some thought. However, as with all plans, this one is not foolproof either. For starters, the skill of reasoning is dependant on many factors (including stupidity). At times, something that is clearly right may just be wrong later on. Secondly, one organ might overrule the other leading to a standstill as both organs have an equal say (and sadly, this has happened to me more times than I would have liked).
Then one wonders about the chances (and changes) missed. Each opportunity for change is another fork in the road of life. There is never only one option for change. Hence, there will always be certain roads left untaken, and bends and turns unknown. There will always be whispers of doubt and what could have been, especially when the road taken begins to crumble (and it does happen… It’s all part and parcel of life). How do we know the changes we have made, we made for the better?
The answer for that, I do know. We don’t.
Invariably, in life, we have to make life-changing decisions. Sometimes we are lucky to be able to estimate how each option will pan out, but other times, we do not have such luxury. At best, we are able to consider the pro’s and con’s of each choice and that’s that. Eventually, we have to make a first move and believe that what we did was right. (At times, this false assurance helps more than you know.) How the rest of the journey falls into place, we will soon find out. And do not worry too much [I wish I would take my own advice] if the path taken seems bleak for there will be another fork in the road up ahead. Just remember to have faith, and a little confidence.
Hopefully, you will get it right the next time around.
Monkey J
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