the changes we go through.

Barack Obama certainly had a kick-ass team to have come up with this strategy to get a strong foothold in the recent US Elections. The word he used: Change. I am quite sure that you have already come across why he was proposed change. I will not elaborate on that. 

This inspired political leaders and political aspirants to copy this platform. Change became a strong political by-word overnight. Change became the magic charm of aspiring politicos.

Over here on our country, people have been declaring about the need for change ever since Gloria took power. Her rise to power was initially thought as a needed change from a morally corrupt leadership of Erap. Change happened - we liked it. Cory liked it. JDV liked it. And now both of them hate it. Change happened. Cory said sorry she ever took role in the changing of the guards during EDSA 2. We achieved change, but apparently it was not good enough for people who instigated those change. And now change is still something that is inevitable to us. 

But God-willing, there will be changes next year as we elect a new President. Change again. I am certain that at least one of the Presidentiables will use that campaign tagline. But my questions are:

1. Are we ever ready for change?
2. Is change the solution to all our problems now?
3. Is change real?
4. What will you change?
5. What is change?

Will we ever change?

I had some thoughts while doing the treadmill earlier. I thought change is an action-oriented word that requires you to alter some things in your life. Oxford defines it as a new or refreshingly different experience. Meaning there's got to be something different for it to be considered change.

But has there been anything refreshingly different so far?

CHANGE IS NOT ABSOLUTE.
Change is not meant for everyone. Some people are meant to change, to keep changing and some people will never change. On the other hand, some people need to change, some people need not change. 

Look at Madonna. She is the Queen of Re-invention. She has re-invented herself so many times we lose count already. From her "Like a Virgin" days to her recent "Hard Candy" look, she continues to provide that enigma that is truly hers. 

But Tina Turner, the Queen of Rock, never re-invented herself. And yet she still is Tina Turner even to the younger ones today. Could you just imagine if she changed to become a pop singer? Or a reggae-hiphop singer?

What about Beyonce? From Destiny's Child to just Beyonce and now Sasha Fierce, are those changes adding up to anything?

It's up for us to decide whether we should change or not. Is there a burning desire to change? Look inside you and find out. I know I want change. I am always up for new things.

CHANGE IS RELATIVE.
I never thought nor agreed that change is meant for everyone. Nor change should be prescriptive. What I need to change with me and what you ned to change are different no matter how similar they may be. 

Even the extent of things we need change is relative. It's not time-bound and it's not measureable. But it certainly is goal-oriented. We all need a direction to towards to but the path we take to get there are different. Believe me some people will want to wander around, smell the roses and even go shopping for a while before they get there. 

Even now, I still believe that to move people to change is probably the hardest task a leader will ever have to take.

CHANGE IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD.
When we talk of change, we always refer to it as a good change. I don't know but change is always seen as positive solution to our problems. But is it always good? Are changes really beneficial to all of us? Some change I know and as I've experienced are not good; they have repercussions to someone or something. Maybe that's the rule of Karma, of action-reaction. So how are we going to explain that change will be good for us?

Classic example: When we decide that we want to urbanize a rural area, something has always got to give. In this case the agriculture sector is the first to be marginalized. In the absence of a concrete plan it will cause harm to many of the rural dwellers and those who rely on agriculture to live.

CHANGE IS A PRIVILEGE.
Change is something that cannot be afforded by everyone. I believe that only those who have enough resources, will and passion to change can truly change. Those who are weak in spirit or have not enough access to resources will find it hard to really change.

Even in our daily lives, the way we think consider change is that we know what's best for people. We always dismiss that we know better as someone learned and more experienced. And we just let people know the changes. Only those who decide have access to decisions are privy to details. But the person who will receive the change is left with no choice.

CHANGE IS A GOOD RESPITE.
When we get too tired of our current condition and/or feeling embattled with all the stresses around us, there's only one thing we look forward to -change. We often tell ourselves when caught in this situation that things will change for the better sooner or later. Change gives us a good sense of hope that things will be better.

Change is like a happy pill we take when everything feels wrong. Change is something we all ask for when many things are not right. Change is the absolute solution we consider when there's none.

CHANGE CAN MOVE PEOPLE.
If we work towards the same goal and action plan, if we like what we hear and if we agree whole-heartedly, change can move people. Change is like a blue-print and manifesto we all live by. Change can become a common goal. And when that happens, expect people to move with you. 

If there's one thing I learned from experience, it's that change need not be rational; instead it's mostly emotional. In a society like ours where most of us have become skeptics. That or misinformed. And being a society sucker of emotional rub, I think change need be emotional at first. As in any other thing, if we are able to appeal to the kurot ng puso, we are guaranteed to effect change.

CHANGE SCARES PEOPLE.
Not knowing how exactly it will impact you, there's a legitimate reason to fear change. But more than that, some people are just plain adverse to change. We have heard the line "If it ain't broke, why fix it?". true.

But what's scaring people away from change is the fact that we're all afraid of change. We get very comfortable in our own skin that when change is impending we are quick to worry and fear. 

Change is something very stressful indeed. All the things we need to work on, anticipate, prepare and face are all very alarming and unsettling. There's just so many questions you want to ask when faced with change.

CHANGE IS A MARKETING GIMMICK.
Change is a marketing gimmick. We often see in tvcs that tell we need to upgrade our lives. That we need to do so many things to achieve a better life. And now we become so engrained in trying to achieve change and achieve the desired output.

Change is something that we pass on to people if only to give them hope. Furthermore, change has always been presented in a certain light that convinces you indeed to change. If you're a progressive person, if you are a practical mom who ensures only the best or is simply thirsting to become a better person, change is for you. Change. Change. Change.

But really, how much of change can it really change us? Haven't we had enough of proposed changes but nothing ever really happens. We succumb to change but to what end? Is change really taking us anywhere?

CHANGE IS OVERRATED.
Change, when presented to us, is the only solution. Not considering the other factors in life, change is like the pill that will solve our problems. But change is overrated. It hardly changes us. We need to passion and determination to effect change. We need to believe. We need to experience it ourselves. Change alone is never enough. It's just a blue-print. 

If we really desire effects in our lives, change is good, but we need determination. We really need to get involved and find ourselves moved by the common goal.

Change has been said in so many ways these days. Moral Reform. Societal Reformation. Re-invention. For change to really happen we need to work together. But how can we when the leaders themselves are distant to us, and not believeable to the proposed changes.

After having said all these, I know I need a change in my life now. The question now is how bad do i want it and if I am willing to sacrifice things. Will you support me in this change?

I am changing. Change for the good.

Ah, change.