Have you realized that almost every change in you and around you is caused by a decision made? Even some of the changes in the environment, such as climate change, are caused by people’s decision to discount the effects of carbon emissions as long as industrialization is realized.
Though there are negative changes, there are also positive ones. I have various stories of people who decided to change for the better, and in all those people, three reasons stuck out to me that caused those changes.
Let me set one friend of mine as an example. He had been a chain smoker since he was a teenager. He used to finish one to two boxes of cigarettes in a day. He was like that for many years. No matter who reprimanded him, he would not let go of the vice because he got so dependent on nicotine. And because of it, he got seriously ill that made him bedridden for a long time. Of course, that circumstance brought hardship to him and his family, who was depending on him. That slump led him never to go back to the destructive vice that almost cost him his life and the future of his family.
If a life-threatening event caused that person to change, another acquaintance of mine changed because of emotional pain. This person had been in a toxic relationship with her lover for five years. She was made to suffer being abused physically, mentally, and emotionally. She endured that for a long time, but one day she realized that she could no longer accept the pain. She had been hurt too much without the chance to heal throughout those years. So, that day she finally decided to leave and let go of that relationship she was trapped in for the longest time. She agreed to allow herself to heal from the trauma.
Though I also experienced difficulties in life that moved me to specific changes, the most significant change I made was caused by inspiration from people. Throughout my life, I met many people who inspired me to become better despite the hardships. I got inspired by my family to work hard, by my teachers to strive and learn, by my mentors to continue learning, and by my friends to build more meaningful relationships.
In these three scenarios, the characters changed because of three different reasons. The first person changed because of a life-changing event that forced him to change. The second one changed because he reached the limit of his pain threshold. The third character changed because another person inspired him – other people, to be exact.
These changes might have been triggered by different emotions – from pain to inspiration, but all resulted in a better situation for the person concerned. More importantly, the changes took place because the person decided to make it happen. A person who takes such an action is indeed courageous.
For you, what could be other reasons for people to change for the better?
(Photo by Alexas Fotos from Pexels)
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