Just a few days back I gifted a T-shirt to one of my cousins. The moment he tried it, we realized that it's larger in size. I instantly said, "It will shrink down in size once you wash it". To which he replied, "This fabric will loosen up when washed". Eventually, we thought to get it changed to a smaller size from the seller. The new T-shirt was fitting him, in a different shade, and had a completely different pattern. But we both were happy.
I always believe in meaningful gifting and the T-shirt initially bought was as per his favorite web series character and as per my thought of the correct size for him. I was very excited to gift it to him. But later, the sizing issues made me upset that my choice was not the correct one. Though later, I was happy to see him happy wearing the new T-shirt.
This entire incident made me think, that how we as humans quickly and instantaneously adapt to changes. At one point, something that excites us (in my case above was the T-shirt that I bought initially) may not be of the same value a few days later. We won't have the same affection or the same value notion attached to it.
Let us take another example. I grew up in my family where everyone has to consume milk twice a day to stay healthy. This was ingrained in me and my brothers. Currently, I am 26 and all these years, I daily consumed two glasses of milk. In my mind, milk was the most essential for the body's growth. Until a few months back when I was diagnosed with a severe medical condition, to which doctors and nutritionists recommended that going dairy-free is the only option. How could something which is most beneficial for my health, be the cause of my troubles? To possibly discard this suggestion, I had multiple rounds of discussions and did a good amount of research online. But to my despair, dairy-free was truly the only option to cure my medical condition. Now it has been 3 months since I have not consumed milk and to my good luck, medically I am recovering from the ailment too.
I am sure many of you would have come across such a situation. Once what felt perfect, turned out to be flawed the next moment. Once who meant the world, turned as merely an acquaintance a few months later. Once the food we craved, later turned out to be poisonous for our health.
During all such moments, what is our instant response mechanism? We CHANGE. We change and we let go off that person, that thought, that food, that place, that book, and even at times, that family member. We instantly, and at times logically, talk it out with our brain and heart that why that particular thing has to go now. Why letting it go is the most profitable situation for us right now? Maybe later in life, we won't see a point of why we did this, but, for that moment, for that phase, it is all justified and the best.
This is what is human and this is what is constant. Charles Darwin in his evolutionary theory said, "Survival of the fittest", but the current times is making us believe that "Survival of the person who is most adaptable to change". Change is the only thing that is constant in today's world. Someone has rightly put it, "By changing nothing, nothing changes"
I am sure if you are the one reading this diligently, then you surely would have been through multiple changes in your journey. But throughout all these years and experiences, have you noticed one peculiar thing about change? That it is very hard. It's very tough to get adapted to it. At times it involves manipulating our own emotions, at times it's about explaining to our loved ones, at times it's about been strict on oneself, and on other days, simply about pushing ourselves out of the comfort zone. No magic ever happened with one staying inside their comfort zone. Step out of it, because that is where the actual magic happens. That is where the entire change happens. Initially, it would be difficult, after all, every change is hard in beginning, messier in middle, but, gorgeous in the end.
But how to embrace this change? How to get adapted to it with grace? The first and foremost thing is that if you want to change, then you need to build your support system for it. Change is going to be hard for you, and in such times, you need someone to be your cheerleader. Someone who pushes you to go one more extra mile. Someone who pushes you to study for just one more hour. Someone who gives you multiple healthy recipes when you are dieting. Or simply someone who can lend a shoulder when you want a break from the rigorous change routine. Where to get this support system? These are the people right beside you, the ones you spend most of your days with. Ones you trust with your life and your passwords. Catch them, keep them, and never let them go.
Once you have made your support system, from your mother, sister, friend, or partner, then the next step is to make them understand what exactly are you aiming for. They may or may not be aware of your plans. They may or may not know how much midnight oil you and they have to burn, to achieve this. And hence, that's why explaining it to them is important. Preach why you deem this as need of the hour and why is it necessary for you. Tell them it's urgency. While doing this, you may encounter some of their thoughts and experiences which can act as a counter to your plan, but, soldier, hold on, keep explaining until you get them on your side and then fight the war.
With these two things in your jacket, nothing is unachievable. Every change is possible with a cheerleader next to you, walking the steps you planned. Always remember,
"If it does not challenge you, then it does not change you".
With that, as a crux of how I got changes in my life, I wish you a very Happy Changing to a new you!!!
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