A small shift is sometimes all it takes to move forward. The slightest change of any aspect connected with the whole (be that your goal, the group, the situation, or your future) can be enough. It can be a straightforward commitment to make a difference, a sharpening of focus, a moment of clarity, an intention expressed in a conversation, or simply a note written on a piece of paper. Any one of those can be enough to effect a transformation, move you out of a rut, contribute to those around you, or set in motion a chain of events which will lead to an improved pattern of behaviour.
This post was written following a discussion I had with a client last week in which I encouraged her to continue with her commitment to improvement even though it may seem like nothing is happening. The point I make here is that personal development is simple (but not necessarily easy). I have talked about it before in different contexts. Here are a few examples:
- Heisenberg, Observation & Growth
- All in Good Time
- Clarity
- Consistency, Boundaries & Discipline
- Be the Boundaries
Those examples bring home the point that our development depends on just a few simple rules (even though I have listed 175 of mine, here). In fact, Karaj always said there was really only one procedure to remember. Despite that simplicity, we still need reminding again and again what we have to do in order to progress. We need reminding because we forget, we get complacent and we slip back into old, familiar ways.
My exercise routine is a good example. It has suffered a little over the last two weeks and I have missed a few days. This has been partly because of physical pain, partly because the motivation to get up in the cold, dark mornings is less than I would ideally want, and partly because of the boredom Karaj talks about in yesterday’s journal post from 11 years ago. Being reminded of that boredom, I realised that recently I have just been going through the motions with my exercises rather than doing them with the awareness necessary to make them really effective.
Last night I spoke with a good friend of mine. He is aware of my situation and he is also part of the inspiration behind my current exercise routine. So when I talked to him about needing to get back to the discipline, he understood. Moreover, I felt my own commitment being reinforced by sharing it with him. This morning, with renewed focus, I got up with the alarm, went through my exercise routine with more awareness than in recent weeks, and then sent a text to my friend to let him know and to thank him for the part he played in making it happen.
It is important to know that we may not be able to discern any improvement as a result of our commitment or intention, but that does not mean nothing is happening. If we have expectations, then we may already be setting ourselves up for disappointment as well as restricting ourselves: expectations can cause us to look in the wrong place for what we think will happen. The best we can do is to be consistent and persist. One day it will all come together. And, as the post ‘Punctuated Equilibrium‘ says, it could happen in an instant.