Things change. They change every single day. Some people love change and some people hate it, but the reality is, it happens. Throughout history, societies have gone through revolution after revolution and, trust me, the world will be destroyed before this cycle is. As human beings, we too are part of these revolutions- in fact, they can even occur within ourselves... and this might not be a bad thing.
There is so much controversy regarding whether or not people have the capacity to change- to do a 180 on themselves after having been so set in their ways for so long. Often we hear things like "people never change," or "once a cheater, always a cheater," or "don't waste your time, they're never gonna never learn." Hearing things like this have always bothered me. Maybe I'm being too naive or overly optimistic, but I truly believe that if a person wants to change badly enough, they can. And I can't put it more simply than that.
Now, I'm not saying if someone calls you annoying, that you should stop being your bubbly, goofy self, or if someone calls you ugly that you should starts wearing tons of makeup in response. As long as your actions aren't physically, emotionally, or mentally hurting another person, you are perfect the way you are; never, ever change for someone, whether they ask you to or make you feel like you should. I am talking about a voluntary, internal conversion of a person who isn't making choices that are helping them grow into the type of human being they want to be.
I was taught from a very young age that it is a combination of both our actions and our intentions that shape our character. That being said, if you aren't happy with your character- that is, the person you have been lately- the first step in resolving that is by changing your intentions or changing your actions. It's less about "changing" yourself, and more about growing into a better version of yourself by reshaping your thoughts and actions.
Starting to make these conscious choices is extremely difficult in the beginning. It involves a complete rewiring of our habits and tendencies, which are different person to person. If you're used to walking the line between rude and funny when joking around, it's going to be hard to discern what kind of things will hurt someone and what kinds won't. If you're used to drinking too much and making bad drunk decisions, it's going to be very hard to refrain from those things. If you struggle with anger related problems and lash out at the people you love, there's nothing harder than figuring out ways to work through it.
Once you begin, though, it becomes easier as you see both the internal and external results. You'll feel happier and more content on the inside, knowing you're growing into the person you want to be and others will be happier for you and to simply see you happier. The bottom line is, people can change, and the best way to do so is by lining up your actions and intentions with those of the individual you're striving to become. And it is absolutely never too late to do so.
