What Causes us to Change?

I just finished a paper for school.  I’ve been thinking a lot about change since my class in May where we talked about the state of the world from an ecological point of view.  The truth is that most of us don’t treat the earth any better than we treat our own bodies.  Do you know how many people suffer from dehydration annually?  Are you aware how many people don’t get enough rest in the same way we don’t allow fields to recover till they are worthless?  It’s easy to determine what will get us to change environmentally because we’ll suffer greatly, but what will get you to change how you treat your body?

Will it take feeling confused and disoriented before someone realizes that your dehydrated?  Do you have to be hospitalized for exhaustion because you won’t take time to rest, even if it means creating more problems down the road?  Think long and hard before you answer these questions because I think the answers will surprise you.  All to often it takes being hit by a bolt of lightning, both literally and/or figuratively before change happens.  Why are we often so resistant to improving our own health, warding off disease, or promoting wellness?

Have we really become a culture that thrives on trying to overcome obstacles?  Even if that’s the case, do you really want to play the odds with your health before you make the necessary changes that promote wellness?  Are we becoming more resistant in the same way that insects are becoming resistant to our pesticides?  That leaves us having to up the ante of trouble before you make any formidable changes…does that sound reasonable to you?

If you’re unsure about any of this start reading accounts by conservationists like Rachel Carson and see if it speaks to you.  See if the problems described personally and environmentally inhibit your own growth physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  You’ll be surprised how similar our stories really are when we take the time to listen to others!