WELLBEING
20 Quotes About Change to Remember Always
1. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
–Barack Obama
No one else can implement the changes that you want to see, says President Obama. You have to be the one to make the changes and begin the process. This is the only way to have the life you have dreamed of and reach your goals.
2. “Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.”
–Arnold Bennett
Change isn’t easy. It’s uncomfortable and new, and it won’t always be perfect. This doesn’t mean it’s not a good change, so keep an open mind as you get used to the new situation.
3. “Even if you cannot change all the people around you, you can change the people you choose to be around.”
–Roy T. Bennett
Change doesn’t always have to be forced on you. It can be a choice that you make. This doesn’t always make it any easier, however. When you sense that you need a change in your life, it is up to you to figure it out. This may mean walking away from people you care about if they aren’t a positive influence in your life.
4. “I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; What I can say is that they must change if they are to get better.”
–Georg Lichtenberg
There is no guaranteed outcome when something changes. If you don’t try, however, and choose to stay the same, there will be no room for improvement. To have a better life, you have to be willing to change.
5. “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them — That only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”
–Lao Tzu
Resisting change is only resisting the inevitable. It will leave you feeling frustrated and in despair, as Tzu explains. Instead, accept each change as it comes and adapts accordingly.
6. “Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.”
–Frida Kahlo
Everything in life changes at some point. Things aren’t meant to stay the same, so nature makes sure that the changes are never-ending. Accept them and know that even if one thing leaves, something good will take its place.
7. “Resistance is never the agent of change. You have to embrace the actions that are going to get you closer to your goal.”
–Ali Vincent
Trying to avoid making a change will keep you from reaching your goal. You have to roll with each change, no matter how unexpected, to keep getting closer. With each change that you adapt to, you are becoming more resilient for the next one.
8. “There can be no life without change, and to be afraid of what is different or unfamiliar is to be afraid of life.”
–Theodore Roosevelt
Without change, the life cycle would end. Each part of life requires some sort of change. So, to be afraid to change is the same as being afraid of life itself, as Roosevelt explained.
9. “No matter who you are, no matter what you did, no matter where you've come from, you can always change, become a better version of yourself.”
–Madonna
Anyone can change if they set their mind to it. This means that you can change yourself and become whoever you have always dreamed of being. It isn’t too late to become the best version of you. Just remember that you are the only one who can change you, and it should be the changes you want.
10. “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”–George Bernard Shaw
You can’t become better if you never change. Improvement is always necessary, and improving means changing and adapting. Those who can’t change won’t be able to progress in any of their life goals.
11. “Look at things from a different perspective, embrace change, look out for opportunities, and you will feel much more in control.”
–Steve Backley
When a change seems to be hard, try looking at it differently. If you can see it differently, you’ll find the opportunities that arise from the change.
12. “Continuity gives us roots; Change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.”
–Pauline R. Kezer
While roots are essential, branches are the only way to expand. Branches grow and stretch across new places and see new things that roots could never see. Allow yourself to branch out and see more of the world than you would have if your life never changed.
13. “Without change, something sleeps inside us and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.”
–Frank Herbert
Life would become dull and monotonous if nothing ever changed. You would lose a part of yourself that sparked the urge to grow and adapt.
14. “Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right.”
–Tony Robbins
In life, there are always things that could go wrong. This is especially true when a change is taking place because you aren’t sure what to expect.
The chance of things going right is greater than the chance of them going wrong, however. Instead of focusing your thoughts on what could go wrong, focus on the excitement of what you want to happen. There is no need to stress yourself out over the negative when the positive is likely to occur.
15. “Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
–Michael Jordan
Sometimes, life forces you to make a change. When an unexpected obstacle gets in your way, make a change to get around it. Create a new plan and adapt accordingly.
16. “Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.”
–Francis Bacon
If you don’t make a change when given the option and the chance to plan accordingly, it could happen unexpectedly. When this happens, you’ll be left scrambling and trying to recover. So, when the chance arises, make a change for the better, so you aren’t blindsided later on.
17. “Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream.”
–Debby Boone
When you have a dream, you must be willing to make changes in your life. You can’t reach new successes and achievements if everything stays the same. So, when you have a dream, allow it to grow and make the necessary changes.
18. “Change is slow and gradual. It requires hard work, a bit of luck, a fair amount of self-sacrifice, and a lot of patience.”
–Robert Greene
When a change occurs, it isn’t always easy, as explained before. It may take time and dedication to get used to it, and you may feel like giving up sometimes. Just keep working at it, though, and eventually, it will be normal.
19. “It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.”
–Alan Cohen
At some point, change is necessary. Your life isn’t intended to stay the same for all of the time. You have to let go of what you are comfortable with and accept what is coming next.
20. “Some changes look negative on the surface, but you will soon realise that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.”
–Eckhart Tolle
While some changes may seem devastating, try to remember that something good is coming. When a change leaves an empty void in your life, it will be replaced by something else. You will have good things in your life, even if bad things occasionally happen.
The Check - In
Health professionals within the community and across the state have acknowledged the increase in presentations of young people with disordered eating behaviours.
As parents and carers it can be a very challenging space to navigate and identify the signs that your young person might be finding the thoughts and behaviours attached to eating quite challenging and difficult to comprehend.
In discussion with these health professionals they have identified and reinforced the need for parents, carers and leaders within the community to demonstrate positive behaviours around eating habits, language and behaviour.
Here are some simple and recommended tips and ideas by the ‘Confident Body, Confident Child Website’ that may be helpful in navigating this space with your young person or young people if there are concerns within disordered eating.
DO
-Be a good role model by speaking about your body in a positive way
-Show an acceptance of different body shapes and sizes
-Promote the importance of an active and healthy body rather than a thin or muscular body
-Teach your child that self-worth is about what is on the inside
-Accept your child as they are, regardless of their weight, size, or body shape
-Praise your child in areas not related to their appearance
-Teach your child that comparing how they look to others can make them feel bad about themselves
-Teach your child ways of dealing with negative comments made by others
-Talk to your child about the way media promotes unrealistic ideals about body shape and appearance
-Set an example by eating breakfast every day and encourage your child to do the same
-Serve regular nutritious family meals
-Make mealtimes pleasant and relaxed
DON'T
-Criticise your appearance or that of others
-Criticise or tease your child’s appearance
-Allow others to tease your child’s appearance
-Diet
-Skip meals
-Encourage your child to diet
-Suggest to your child that they will be more likeable if they had more muscles, lose weight, or eat less
-Allow your child to look at media that emphasises ideals of beauty, thinness, or muscularity
-Have the TV on during family meal times
-Use food as a reward or punishment for your child’s good or bad behaviour
-Use food as a way of calming or soothing your child
-Label foods as ‘good’ and ‘bad’
-Suggest that exercise should/can be used to lose weight or build muscles.
If you do continue to have concerns over your young person and feel like you're in a position where you need professional guidance and support, below are some resources that are incredibly useful to increase your knowledge and understanding. It is also recommended by leading professionals to make a GP appointment and ask for a referral to specialist support that work with disordered eating behaviours/thoughts.
The Butterfly Foundation
Confident Body, Confident Child
https://www.confidentbody.net/
Eating Disorders Victoria