New Calendar, New Year, So What?

This week I have been inundated with processes and procedures in resetting priorities. It has been through every media outlet and mechanism possible. I get it. There is a new number at the end of the date field. It is a new calendar (who has paper calendars?) and resolutions are supposed (really? who says?) to be made.

Even though the statistics vary as to how many of us will keep resolutions and thus either give up, fail, or forget; we are enticed to try. But why?

Can change(s) occur that quickly? Have you ever watched anyone push an elephant?  Only when the is mass and acceleration that exceeds the force you are trying to move can the elephant be moved.  (Even if the elephant doesn't want to move).  So why should I care about making changes or resolutions if I haven't thought carefully about whether the probability of success is even there?

I can declare "I will read more," but if I don't carve out the time or I don't substitute another activity for reading, then I haven't really considered all that will need to change before I can even remotely be successful at reading more.

Usually change occurs when a "force" is applied. Underline force. This is Newton's second law. Where F(orce) = M(ass) times (A)acceleration. I just believe there isn't enough force occurring in the mere changing of one digit at the end of the date to make the significant change the rest of the world seems to think I need to make.

The amount of force needed for change has to be greater than the amount of change wanted. Either I work out to get strong and be able to push more weight than I can now, or I search for a way to entice the elephant to want to move, either way, if I want acceleration on my goals, resolutions or changes, I will need to increase one or more of the attributes of mass or acceleration in order to increase the amount of force needed.

So instead of looking for new resolutions, new goals, new.... perhaps I need to start looking at the forces already working in my life.  If I wish to change my life's direction, what are the forces causing me to move in the direction I'm moving now and how can I redirect or refocus those forces? What force is causing me to not read sufficiently now? Am I too tired when I get home? How do I change that?

I must examine the processes and forces, list them, mind map them, look at their effects on what I believe to hold dear. I need to educate myself on what are those forces of change. Are they for certainty, purpose, or control? Have they been there and I'm just comfortable with them? Are they positive forces guiding me through my journey and thus I should possibly increase them?

Only when I do the work to see those forces of change at work in my life and learn what pieces of the Newton's equation to change or if to change it at all, can I begin to see any change become as easy as turning over the page on the calender.

|D|