“Transformation and its Purifying Power in Our Lives”
Written by and Photography by Rick Trottier – RJT Images
Few people stop to think about the unique blessings Mankind has had bestowed upon us. Some are obvious like our creative talents, our rationale minds and our complex emotional structures. But one of the most purely human gifts is the power to transform our lives and shape our existence amid the chances and fates of the world. The animal kingdom is enslaved to instinct and reaction to environmental stimuli, forcing species to adapt without conscious thought. But humanity has the power of freedom of choice and the most potent type of choice any person can exercise is that of change. We all hear the maxim “change is good for the soul”, but too often people take the path of least resistance and stick with routine, security and safe actions. While such behavior is comfortable, and we all enjoy the ease of predictable patterns, such a decision can lead to stagnation and decline. Marshaling the energy to transform established methodology takes courage and strength, something large numbers of people often are unwilling to expend, not realizing the immense pay-off that could be theirs if they accept some risk.
It all begins with understanding the need for change and why some form of transformation has to occur. Change for change sake can be positive, but often times it is simply created out of a sense of boredom and can be wasted motion. Life-altering transformation occurs when an individual engages in serious self-evaluation and comes to the conclusion that some part of life no longer functions appropriately. Whether it is part of a daily routine, an intellectual/emotional component, or something of a physical nature, degeneration has taken place, creating some manner of turmoil which in turn brings misery. During the self-assessment process, a cost analysis must be performed and most people who are truly ready for transformation accepts that there is little to lose and a great deal to gain by making a commitment to serious, lasting change. Then begins the process of establishing a support structure upon which a foundation of strength can be created. For without support to bolster strength which leads to behavioral consistency, no lasting change can occur. Almost always, those who start down the road to transformation without support do so with good intentions, but the actions that must become positive habits leading to new, effective patterns of behavior never take root and as a result old, negative patterns re-emerge leading to failure. But with support, true transformation can and must occur, leading to life-affirming change and success.
And what success brings is worth all the risk, effort, energy and tribulation which is an accepted part of the transformation process. First there is that wonderful sense of accomplishment, that initial glow of triumph at the point of the journey where the first victory has been achieved.
You can read more of this article in our March 2016 issue of ModelsMania
