more on making change

This is one of the posts I rescued from the cancellation of my MySpace account.  I'm not sure what inspired me to write this, but I seem to recall watching the movie Stranger Than Fiction, around the time I wrote this.  I believe I had also been reading too much Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Jasper Fforde, thus accounting for the use of big words and the somewhat uppity tone of the writing.

Written at some point during 2007:

It may be the unexpected moment that in a flash of inspiration forces a change of perspective, a change of character or a change of direction. However, the moment, the inspiration, the catalyst for change can only happen when searching for something or if not searching, at least being open to newness. Moments of wanting something different, something new in life can often be the maker of change, but wanting is not enough. Wanting is passive, inactive, sedentary. Personal transformation is not any of this nor does it happen while sitting around.

It usually does not happen overnight or in a moment. That is not to say that certain catastrophic events don't have the capacity to alter life's course in an instant, but more often it's a deep seated desire for something more, something better. However, in human beings this kind of change of character or change of heart, does not typically occur in an instant. Profound personal transformation requires sustained effort, not sporadic half attempts. The momentum of effort nurtures the ability of change in character and heart. It is effort, hard, not easy, not simple, not halfway, that brings change about. It's a series of instances of actions, assertiveness and passion. A person must go out on a limb, and take risks.

What is the moment of inspiration, of desire for something different that spurs the such a metamorphisis? It is unique to each individual, who will recognize when it comes to knock. In spite of the difficulty, the possibility of amelioration often is motivation enough for the person who wants it.