Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Involuntary Personal Growth

If I had the patience for it (I don't), I could probably do a month long series of posts on all the ways my viewpoint on life has changed since 2005 when I started writing on this blog.  The odd thing is, I don't really think that I have changed at my core, just that my perspective has evolved along with my priorities and therefore changed my thoughts and opinions.

The biggest change is that I went from a pretty strong conservative to really not much of a conservative at all.  I think the difference is that I used to lead with my brain in politics.  So I always went with what I knew about economics, capitalism, greed, personal motivation, etc.  Also I was idealistic and operated more based on the way things "should be." These days I lead with my heart.  I go with the truth of the way things are and ideologically the way that things should be for everyone, not just me.  The change of perspective, I think, came courtesy of my volunteer work and also an evolution in my way of thinking. 

If I had to break everything about me that has changed in 7 years down to its most basic component, I would say that comfort in this world is not enough for me.  For my parents, for me up until some point in the last 7 years, the goal has always been to make enough money to ensure your own comfort and security, to have some fun along the way, to accomplish most of the things you want to accomplish.  It's a fine, worthy goal.  But I've never really been uncomfortable or insecure.  I've spent little time wanting.  I have few unfulfilled goals.  I was so set up for life by my parents that the road to comfort was short and wide.  Now I want more.  I want to make some sort of difference, I want to help make things better, I want to be involved in directing not only my life but the lives of others.  And that has changed the way I approach life.

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