Life is about change. There’s no way around it. Every day, something moves us to see in a new light; focus our abilities in a different direction. I guess it’s safe to say that I am entering one of those periods right now.
So many things that used to be important to me in the past seem so trivial to me now. I’m not talking about the little things either. I’m talking about my life’s direction.
You see, up until about a year ago, you could sum up my life as follows: I worked in the IT industry, always kept on the cutting edge, lived for gadgets, worked really hard to acquire possessions, and basically played the “rat race” game. Even though I have always been well informed on the world around me and politics and business, I never did anything to make a change or take a stand. I just went along for the ride.
But a funny thing happened about a year or so ago. I was really struggling to get my feet on the ground financially after taking a $13,000 pay cut to come to work for the company that employs me now. I was stressed out and bitter and it seemed everything was falling in on me.
Then, my ex-wife and I disagreed on the terms of my child support and that took even more out of me. I’m going to be totally honest with you. I thought I was doing what was best for all parties concerned and I just couldn’t understand how come that wasn’t enough. I really resented the fact that I was about to be taken to court and in turn lose more money that I thought I couldn’t live without.
I ended up having to turn my cable television off, my Internet service off, my phones (cell and Land-line), and live like a hermit.
It was the best thing that ever happened to me as far as life goes. Seriously.
I have learned so much more in the time I have not had these things. I know myself better now.
I have realized that I didn’t really need those things, I just thought it was my God-given right to have them. I haven’t missed not having cable Tv. If I want to call someone, I use my work cell phone. I have the lowest Internet package available for when I really need it (which I found is a lot less than I thought).
Consequently, I use my computers far less these days, which helped me to realize that I really don’t like computers all that much anymore. That was a big step because it was my career during this time. As soon as I realized all of these things, I began to change.
Instead of letting my little one watch tv in her room, I found we could buy a DVD and watch it together. When that’s over, we read (I do the reading, she asks the questions). We go outside and do much more than we used to. I read a lot more these days. We visit other people more frequently. It has truly changed me.
I changed positions about eight months ago. I went from being the Lead Systems Administrator for the company to becoming the Corporate Trainer. I get to travel the country and meet some really great people. I get to interact again. I really love it.
The biggest change for me personally is in the way I view life. I want to make a difference. I want to share what knowledge I have and I want to get involved in the world around me. And for the first time in my life, I actually want to get rid of a lot of my possessions and quit thinking that it is those items that defines my life.
As usual, I don’t know where I’m going in this life, but for now I know that I am trying to help other people better there lives. I have come to realize that people are what’s important. Nothing more or nothing less.
We as a society have become disconnected from that philosophy. We worry about what others think about us more than we do about how we can better our world and those around us.We lock ourselves behind closed doors and pug ourselves in to the network. We know more people on the Internet than we do in our own neighborhood.
I have been a willing participant for far too long. I am stopping now.
To truly love the world, you must truly love the people. To love the people, you must truly love yourself. After all, to change the world, you must be willing to change yourself.
Good luck to us all.