Change Yourself v. Stay True To Yourself

(From archived lianprice.com blog, circa 2015.)

Today I write to you about challenges and change.

Yesterday I posted a quote to social media by fitness expert Fred DeVito. It read:

“If it does not challenge me, it does not change me.”

People say you should never change who you are and I largely agree with that. As long as we are talking about the essence of what makes you “you,” your truest passions and spirit, I say don’t alter these things one bit.

But if we are viewing change as a vessel for growth, then absolutely I want change to occur.

We cannot evolve without change.

We cannot grow unless presented with challenges.

Let’s strive to put ourselves in at least one challenging environment per day. To over-extend ourselves, even just slightly, so that we may uncover new areas of ourselves that we didn’t know existed and/or require improvement.

Yes, this challenging environment could mean the gym for some. For others, it could mean moving from the area of the gym with the machines to the area with mirrors and free weights.

For others, this could mean assisting in your local community, volunteering to help out at a school, or asking to take the lead on a big project at work.

It could mean going the extra mile to earn a client or patient’s trust. Maybe it’s being the first to say sorry to a friend you got into an argument with, giving up your seat on the train to someone who needs it more than you, or traveling out of your way to go visit your grandmother.

Some see a life challenge as an obstacle, others will view it as a proving ground. Regardless, my hope is that we all seek to seize every opportunity as a chance to grow, to sharpen our unique skill sets, and to become better than we were yesterday.

Since nothing is constant, and the world is forever changing, in theory this should mean we have endless opportunities each day to grow and get better.

And here is your ultimate safety net:

When going about this process of personal evolution, as long as you are true to yourself, you can mess up as much as you want.

Let me repeat that:

YOU CAN MESS UP AS MUCH AS YOU WANT.

As a work in progress, you have to include mistakes as part of this recipe. It will never be about striving for perfection. That’s not the point. Instead, consistent progress should be the daily target.

We want to constantly evolve, not just so that we can keep up, but so that we can be proud of ourselves and our work ethic when our heads hit the pillow each night. It sucks to admit this, but we will never stop making mistakes, so long as we keep seeking to improve and grow. But as long as you are true to yourself, you

A.Won’t ever feel ashamed of the mistakes you have made, and

B. You will always have an opportunity to learn and get better from them.

So always be yourself.

Everyday, be 100% authentically YOU. You cannot go wrong this way.

But fine tune it. Get sharper. Force yourself to grow, to blossom, for your benefit but also for the benefit of others. I know it might not always seem like it, but other people are watching, and can benefit from the inspiration you provide when you seek to better yourself.

By challenge ourselves, we actually make each other better in the process. Although changing others is not the goal, we CAN raise each other up, or in the words of Marianne Williamson, (as quoted by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech) “By letting our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.” Be that light in a dark place that others may need us to be. The world is evolving so fast and our lives are all becoming so interconnected, and we never know just what level of impact our decisions may have on someone else.

Let’s keep pushing, friend. Keep changing. Stay true, but continue to get better. Have a great week, and talk to you soon :)

- Lian