Unwilling to change.
By and large, people are reluctant to change. They like to be in the same setting as much as possible. Changes are invariably induced by external factors like social fabric, traditions, education, regulations, friend circle, type of profession, outings, and new contacts. People are aware of it, but they never count them attentively. Okay. But what about changes from inside (our inner selves)? It is happening on different scales, from negligible to noticeable.
Thus, precisely, we can say that it is hard to effect changes in the inside world in the form of thinking, feeling, beliefs, imagination, and enlarging one’s own strengths. Take one thing, say thinking. People are extremely attached to how they perceive themselves and their outside world. It is decided wholly by their thinking from moment to moment. They look at everything from a particular angle. They are not changing their angles.
People are more interested in keeping their traditions, culture, patterns, possessions, influence, and beliefs intact, and they attach the whole purpose of life to these aspects. Multiplying physical worth is their sole vision. They find short-lived happiness in adding materials and not looking beyond that. Happiness is in the process of making ourselves better year after year, not in purchasing many things.
Drastic changes are taking place in segments like food habits, modes of communication, variety of conveniences, use of natural resources, and global concerns because they relate to the outside world for any individual, society, or the largest clusters. Again, what about our internal changes? There is no resistance to adopting new technology, but there is extreme resistance to being a man of integrity. The problem lies here.
We can change internally too, but we have to go through these stages.
1. Unwavering intention to change internally
2. Consistency in practises that may take years
3. Making the change a part of a habit or action
Let it be explained through examples. We have to be transparent in our dealings. It is not easy to adopt. Once we are firm in our intention, we keep this factor in mind for all the dealings or transactions. There may be some deviation here and there, but ultimately it becomes part of our behaviour.
Many sorts of fear were working before adopting transparency. We were hiding many things for immediate gain without knowing that the graph of trust was falling. Erosion in transparency seems not harmful today, but it may end in regrets in the long run. People with masks cannot cultivate goodwill in the circles of health, education, technology, farming, or even in a family.
Our internal world is more powerful than our external world. Our internal world is made by integrating many components like sincerity, empathy, sacrifice, honesty, justice, equality, and so forth. Start with any component. Other components of the internal world start to emerge one by one. It is the process that has been examined by people who are interested in living a meaningful life.
As people enter the declining phase of active life, they realise the need to correct their internal world. Now it becomes a dilemma for them as to what to do in the remaining days. There is nothing to be worried about. Even one good deed now may be heavier than a dozen indecent actions in the past. It is always better to act than to regret.
In the early stages of life, it is difficult to segregate what is internal from what is external. We observe and absorb many things from the happenings around us. It is largely a phase of unhealthy competition. There is no time to look inward. It is a grave error. Working on our own potential may be multiple times better than chasing impressive shelters, decent dressing, items of comfort, and exhibiting superiority.
A man of good deeds is usually a silent worker. On the other side, people with erratic and bad affairs make everything public. Publicity pollutes the brain quickly. It does not mean the end of everything. The world is progressing on the strength of good deeds. Bad deeds appear and disappear without damaging too much. Human nature is made to love all creatures and the whole universe. Coexistence is the law of nature.
We can change our thinking pattern from negative to positive even if we are old. However, it is better to start monitoring our thoughts from the very beginning and correcting bad stuff from the stage of puberty. So proper upbringing deserves priority.
Finally, be willing to change, and change is bound to happen. It is a change in alignment with the meaning of our valuable lives.