Transformation...

In conversation with a man who transformed his life from that of a drug addicted, alcoholic, self-destructive existence, into a life of purpose and meaning, I was struck by the force and the simplicity of what it was that drove him.

The change in his fortunes was driven, not by avarice, envy, or shame, or any outside influence. It was driven by the discovery of a force within.

He was not in the least concerned about belongings, or recognition, acclaim of any sort.
He was though, concerned about his own opinion of himself. He thinks now that he might have been thinking about this for months, many months, even years, and that all that ruminating, thinking, and questioning, culminated one day into an answer; he was not doing himself justice.

He decided that as long as he kept on doing what you was doing he had no right to a good opinion of himself. So, he thought, he would become that person of whom he would think well, feel well with, and respect and admire.

His aim then was to become, to become who he could be. 

In the midst of the chaos that was his life, his aim, and the decision to do something about it, became clear. He kept on thinking about it. The more he thought about it, the less he drank, the less drugs he took, the more he began to believe he could, really could, do something about it, that he could in truth, do a lot about it. 

That was when he realised he had already started. His life was changing. He stopped the drugs. Drank less. Began to experience mornings with a clear awakening. No hangover, no violent spasms or vomiting, could remember where he’d been, what he’d done, to whom he’d spoken. Though he had no money, he realised that he was achieving his aim. 

He was becoming whom he thought he could be. Though he wasn’t clear on the purpose of his existence or his life, he believed he had one. That was enough to know at this stage. He trusted in, and believed in, his own instinct. It was working tremendously well for him. And he had the wit to see it.

He followed his instinct. He is still doing that. With little money, his life his rich. His belief is sound. The other benefits will come, commensurate with his thoughts, decisions, action and consistency. He has no doubt, no doubt at all, about that.

Nor have I.

He is now doing what he needs to do, to become who he wants to be. Every thing he does, every day, is evaluated in its use to his aim; if it helps, he does it, if it hinders, he throws it out.

It’s a useful, simple, example of the power of decision, and the effect one decision can have, on every other decision we make, every day of our lives. 

His story continues. Long may it do so.