Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Hare and the Turtle

From DailyOM. Appealing arguments. Be it learning something new (driving, swimming, music) or going out on one's own...!

Small Steps To Big Change - Making Big Change Easier

When we decide that it’s time for big changes in our lives, it is wise to ease into them by starting small. Small changes allow us to grow into a new habit and make it a permanent part of our lives, whereas sudden changes may cause a sense of failure that makes it difficult to go on, and we are more likely to revert to our old ways. Even if we have gone that route and find ourselves contemplating the choice to start over again, we can decide to take it slowly this time, and move forward.


Sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are merely indicators of the need for change and are useful in getting us moving in the right direction. But it is possible that once we try out what seemed so ideal, we may find that it doesn’t actually suit us, or make us feel the way we had hoped. By embarking on the path slowly, we have the chance to look around and consider other options as we learn and grow. We have time to examine the underlying values of the desire for change and find ways to manifest those feelings, whether it looks exactly like our initial goal or not. Taking small steps forward gives us time to adjust and find secure footing on our new path.


Life doesn’t always give us the opportunity to anticipate or prepare for a big change, and we may find ourselves overwhelmed by what is in front of us. By choosing one thing to work on at a time, we focus our attention on something manageable, and eventually we will look up to see that we have accomplished quite a bit. Forcing change is, in essence, a sign that we do not trust the universe’s wisdom. Instead, we can listen to our inner guidance and make changes at a pace that is right for us, ensuring that we do so in alignment with the rhythm of the universe.

PS: related post; another related post

2 comments:

Prashant Sree said...

Nimmy,

Again you end up being a conduit for wise wordings :). I agree with the point that Small steps lead to bigger ones. This one was a good observation.

" Forcing change is, in essence, a sign that we do not trust the universe’s wisdom."

One query:

"Small Steps To Big Change - Making Big Change Easier"

Is this a Book Name ?? I feel that i have heard something familiar. :)

Nimmy said...

Thanks!! :-) My pleasure.

And...I too like that statement about "Forcing change...."!! Such a lovely way of looking at life and staying calm and composed in the face of change! This is very close to Zephyr's philosophies as well. We just need to learn to ignore or silence the noises generated from the society around us when we are ourselves are patient with change but they want us to rush through it at top-speed. :-)

My car-driving experience is an example, I think. I have taken "ages" to come to the stage that I am in now...driving with reasonable confidence if not racing through traffic. Some others may learn it in a jiffy but for me I needed to take one step after another. Even though I found it difficult to pursue it one small step at a time, I think I knew I had to be slow and could not afford to be as fast as some others. I did have my doubts once in a while. But being patient and tolerant has paid off. Pressure from others was tough to handle at times....and nature gave me opportunities at the right time to learn it the way I have!

About the book - no idea. I haven't heard about it. But maybe there is one!! (There are so many books on Change...!!)