How Change Begins

Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

Change doesn’t arise of its own accord. It needs a catalyst. And that catalyst usually comes in the form of pain, problems and (material) discomfort.

Charlize Theron, when commenting on the origins of the #MeToo movement said, “I think at the beginning of every revolution, there’s this opening of a wound.” Intuitively, we understand that - wounds instigates change, and that’s certainly what’s happened there. 

But that point is equally as true in other contexts - from our work in economic spheres (starting a new business or launching a new product/initiative) to our work on ourselves (dealing with our own issues at work or in relationships).

It’s an obvious statement, but change doesn’t arise merely out of altruism or simple good will (not most of the time). It starts because there’s a problem that needs to be solved.

If we apply that to ourselves, we can see what’s in front of us a little differently. We can look at the issues we’re grappling with in a different light. Whether it’s the Monday Morning Blues, the troubled relationship, or that unsettled sensation that’s gnawing at us in the pit of our stomach, they’re all telling us something. They’re all signs. 

And, while it may not seem like it at first, they’re actually opportunities. A signal for action, a demand for movement of some sort. They’re telling us that the status quo isn’t sustainable, and something needs to change.

Of course, that change may not be what we’d ideally want. It may involve amping up the discomfort for the near term. It might even involve upending everything we know and hold dear today. But it’s inescapable. 

Every revolution begins with the opening of a wound, and those wounds, far from being ends in and of themselves, are signals. We need to pay attention to them.