All of us want to change one thing or another in our life. Whether it is being more healthy, working less (or more), sleeping more (or less) or anything else. But change has an inherent paradox.
The Paradox of Change
To truly change, we need to first accept our current circumstances. Without that, change is not possible.
I’ll illustrate with a personal example. About 12 years ago, I was about 25 lbs heavier. I wanted to lose weight, but would continually tell myself that I was ok just as I was. I would say things like, “Focusing on physical appearance is shallow”, “Weight is just a number” etc. All of these were rationalizations. I was refusing to accept the current circumstance – that I was heavier that I liked to be.
One fine day, it dawned on me that I was just coming up with endless excuses and rationalizations. That day, I fully embraced how I felt and what I wanted. Within a year, I lost 25 lbs.
Why Acceptance is Important
We waste an inordinate amount of energy fighting against the present. Most of the time we do this because our ego is fragile and unwilling to accept the reality.
In the example above, I just did not want to accept that I weighed more than I liked. I was using all my energy to fight the present. As soon as I accepted, that energy was freed up to make the change that I desired.
Conclusion
Don’t rationalize your current circumstances. Accept them. Embrace your desires and see the magic happen.