It is not easy to be a change agent
I feel so lucky to have found my tribes (yes, even more than one) after 20 years in searching. When I started questioning the status quo at a Fortune 100 company thinking there are too many things that feel fundamentally wrong in the workplace, there were a lot of criticism and raised eyebrows.
Being in this not-so-frequently-taken-road, quitting a well-paying job with lots of benefits, now I know why there were so few of us at the time. Because it is hard.
It is hard to divert from the conventional path given to you.
It is hard when people around you look for the most rational answers, when you take a different route.
It is hard when you don’t know what will happen next, when you leave the common path.
It is hard to stay on track with a lot of unknowns.
It is hard to leave a big paycheck and stability when you don’t know when and where the next one is coming.
It is hard when you know you should not be “where you are”, but not sure where you need to be.
It is hard to stay in your truth, when you do not see so many examples around you.
It is hard when you are called to do something bigger, while the real world needs you to pay the bills.
It is hard to stay true to your own path, when there are so many skeptics around you.
It is hard to lead a #purpose-driven, inner-voice-led life.
It is hard to be in a long quest to find who you really are.
I know this is part of being a change agent. That is being called to serve others because you know “the way things are” is not serving the world. That is why you take it on and do your best even in the hardest circumstances, when you don’t even have all the skills to do the transformation, when it feels like you are starting from scratch, when you find yourself questioning your decision to be in the unknown. I have not seen one change agent who does not care about personal growth. We take the time to know who we are first, how we can serve, what our strengths are, do lots of inner work when we are out there to do good in the world. It is not possible in my opinion to serve well or transform the world when you don’t know yourself.
That is why it is important to be in a tribe of people who believe in the same values and purpose. We live in a world that awards complacency and those who accept way things are.
People in my tribes question the status quo, find strength in being around people who are like-minded and like-hearted but also willing to hear different perspectives. We need each other to change the world and all the systems that are failing in it. Change agents see the world needs a big transformation and feel the need to be part of this change. It feels like we are called to do this. It is a huge responsibility to tackle and sometimes takes a lot of personal sacrifice, but we know there is no better feeling than having a positive impact in this world.
Thanks to all of you who have chosen this uncommon path with me (making me feel less weird :) too) and being change agents of this world. Even if it is hard, we know it is certainly worth it. Our belief in our big #purpose will guide us through, even if the road may not always be so smooth.
