Be The Change

I went to a treatment center for a substance use disorder in the fall of 2014. A lot of my “seeking” and my Heart and Soul’s true Values came back to me in that short 28 day period of time. It was like Impact Growth  – emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

When you completed treatment at this facility, there were two “graduation” events. One- was a coin out- where your counselors and peers said things about you, to you, words of encouragement, and words of warning- and you were given a special, beautiful coin, that had something to do with recovery engraved on it.

The other event- was this small, 3×3, colored but transparent like stained glass – plastic square – that you got to write whatever you wanted on- and it would hang in the windows next to hundreds of others before you- and would be hanging there with those after you.

Apparently, I wrote the quote above from one of my favorite spiritual models of our time – Gandhi.

Fast forward 3 years into my recovery from addiction- and I got a job working for that same organization! I was decorating my office – went to the local thrift store, found some really cool artwork to hang – and also found one that had that same exact quote on it.

POINT TO MAKE here – is that when I bought this painting, I had totally forgotten about actually having written  that on that square 3 years prior. I had this new, beautiful painting with Gandhi’s quote on it hanging in my office – and visited the rehab center one day (because I now worked for them and could)- and thought- “Hey, let me check out my Square while I’m here and see what I wrote.”  It really blew my mind when I read that same quote on that square. It was a deep epiphany about my true “core values” and what I really believe in.

It starts with you.

All the things I wish the world would be – starts with me. Know why? Because we don’t have any say or control over what ANYONE else does.

Want the world to recycle? Start recycling
Want the world to be compassionate? Be compassionate
Want Money to not be so important? Examine your own beliefs of Money

Preaching to others doesn’t really matter if your actions don’t align.

People SEE what you DO.

Live the Change. Be the Example. Set the Pace.