“Be the change you want to see in the world.”  One of the greatest and most influential people of all time, Mahatma Gandhi, said that. 

It’s such a beautiful and inspiring quote, isn’t it?  But how many people actually stop and think about the meaning of it?

What is the change that you would like to see in the world?  A world without war?  A world without sickness?  A world without poverty?  A world where everyone is at peace, living in harmony and joy?

We usually have a tendency to focus on what’s wrong in the world and what’s wrong in our lives.  It’s not our fault… we were never really taught how to focus on what’s right all the time.  Furthermore, seeing what’s wrong and figuring out how to make it right has been the means by which all life has evolved.

But what does it mean to BE the change you want to see in the world?  How does one do that?

Well, how do you “do” stress?  How do you “do” anxiety?  How do you “do” suffering?  It’s all in your state of mind.  In these situations, we are literally “being” the person who is going through all the turmoil.  It is a role we each play.  The great secret is that we don’t have to continue the roles we are in.  All we have to do is consciously choose to change the role we are playing.  How?  By focusing on what we want, and stepping into the role of the YOU that already has it.  Start asking yourself:  How do I “do” happy?  How do I “do” healthy?  How do I “do” successful?  Don’t know?  Here’s a neat way to find out how you “do” the change you want to see.

Step into your future for a moment – the future where you have achieved whatever dream or dreams you have been desiring and/or working towards.  Imagine yourself at that moment.  What are you thinking?  What are you saying?  What are you doing?  How do you look?  What sort of friends and acquaintances do you have?  What are you eating and drinking?  What are your relationships like?  Take a good long look at the “future YOU” in all these ways.  Memorize it.  Breathe it in.  What does it smell like?  What does it taste like?  Approach “future YOU” and ask for lessons.  Allow “future YOU” to give you lessons on the “who, what, when, where, and why” that got “future YOU” there.  Gather up all the information and allow yourself to remember it.

Now step back into the present YOU.  But this time, you have some new knowledge that you didn’t have before:  how to be the YOU that you want to be.  Now let’s go back to Gandhi’s quote:  “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

BE the change.  In other words, don’t tell yourself you’ll be the change when the world gets better, or when your circumstances outside you begin to change.  Gandhi didn’t tell us to wait till things get better and then be the change – he said BE THE CHANGE.  As in, right now.  Don’t wait! 

Begin emulating – RIGHT NOW – the “future YOU” that you saw in your visualization.  Do this consistently!  Soon, it will be a habit, and you will automatically BE the very change in the world you wanted to see.

You can only transform the world from the inside.  Your world.  Once you change your world, the rest of the world can then begin to change.  That’s how it works.  One person at a time.