Changing the World Starts With You
Here’s a very inspiring quote from a unknown monk about changing the world. Definitely words to live by. I don’t think it’s saying we can’t make an impact on the world around us (indeed, many great leaders have), but the place to begin is within ourselves. Changing yourself is the first step in getting things done. But it is a fact that people tend to find most faults with others than with their selves. It reminds me of the saying don’t point the finger at someone else, for there is 3 others pointing back at you.
“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.
“Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed he world.”
Unknown Monk 1100 AD
The next time you find fault with something or someone else ask yourself, What can I change about myself to get the results I would like?
Namaste
Tags: Buddhism, spiritual, charles hamel, Inspiration
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Comments
This reminds me of a popular bumper sticker around here that says “Think Globally, Act Locally.” I actually serve in the AmeriCorps right now, and service members are dispatched to individual communities across the country. Each project represents a small change in terms of national significance (or even world significance), but sooner or later, all of those little changes start to add up.
It’s a concept I agree with entirely (in addition to your comments on my site). 
There’s this saying in Chinese “正心.修身.齐家.治国.平天下”… which I couldn’t be more agreed to…
It is originated from the teaching by Confucious… which you could read (with translations) on this website
http://www.afpc.asso.fr/wengu/wg/wengu.php?l=Daxue&s=1