We all have the potential to change and be different if we are willing to do what it takes. It is not easy though, for us or those around us.

Several years ago I either read or heard someone say that change was hard and usually the only person that likes change is the person who came up with it.

From my own personal experience I agree that it can be very challenging to change ourselves or to get someone else to embrace change. This is true in both our professional and personal lives. It can also be very difficult to recognize the change someone has made in themselves.

A months ago I was attending a seminar where I got to hear several different people share their experiences and thoughts on different topics. Some of the individuals speaking at the event I worked with and knew well.

One of them I knew for many years and thought very highly of. It was great to see them up there sharing their knowledge in an effort to help others grow and learn from their own experiences.

Another one I knew for only a couple of years and often found myself feeling conflicted when they spoke and with what they shared. I liked what they were saying, however I kept feeling skeptical and questioning whether I believed what they were telling us or if they were saying what they thought we wanted to hear.

Eventually I had to stop and ask myself why I was being this way. I found it was mostly due to the fact it didn’t sound like the same person I had worked with. Having worked with and known them I didn’t feel they were being authentic.

On the surface that could have been enough for me to justify what I was feeling. I couldn’t let it go though. I started looking deeper and considering what else I could observe. They definitely sounded and looked different.

Once I really looked beneath the surface and thought about the person they were when I first met and started working with them, the person they were during the couple of years we worked together, and the person they appear to be since leaving my organization I had a much different perspective.

They had changed. They had learned and grown from the different experiences they had and were better for it. I was just having a difficult time seeing who they are now because I know who they used to be.

It is very hard to recognize or accept someone has changed. Especially when they are in the midst of the transformation. We often want to question the authenticity or believe they can change at all. It can take a lot of time before we want to believe it is real and often if there are any lapses or setbacks we are quick to point them out.

Due to all the challenges and struggles that come with changing who we are and overcoming others believing or supporting us sometimes the best thing to do is start by changing our environment. That could mean the group of people we regularly spend time with, it could mean changing jobs, and it could also mean moving to somewhere else. None of these are easy decisions to make and may be difficult to do as well. However, I have done them all myself at different times in my life and believe they have helped me to change, grow, and get closer to being the person I hope to be.

“Life is a long journey and along the way we learn, grow, and at times have to change in order to become the person we are meant to be.”

“Significant change will cause both nervousness and excitement. We can choose to allow it to overwhelm us or motivate us. It’s our choice.”

“Most people will adjust to the environment around them if given the opportunity.”

“The desire to change must happen within before it can begin.”

“All significant changes require making a shift on the inside. Especially if we hope for it to be lasting.”

“To be the person we dream of becoming sometimes we have to first be willing to stop being the person we used to be.”