It may be true that only you can change yourself, but others can influence your choices and help direct you in a better direction. By setting up a enriching environment you can encourage positive change in yourself and in others. Though the choice to change is in the hand of the individual, the people and environment around that individual plays a significant part in influencing his or her choice of what changes to make. We change ourselves everyday, little by little and those changes are effected by both our environment and the personal influences we choose. If you don’t know there is a better path to walk and that the one your on is heading towards ruin, then how and why would you change your path?

Lets say you live in a gang controlled city and all you ever see and know is death, drugs and violence. Your mindset will be that there is no other choices besides being a gang member or being a victim. You would be resistant to the idea that you can raise above the city and its negative environment. It is hard to see the light when your surrounded by darkness, your instincts will tell you to adapt and become a part of the system to survive. Now you move to the suburb where there is less crime and violence, you see there is other options besides being a gang member or victim.

Basically you can only change into that which you believe is possible. If you are unaware of anything other than what you are then your limited by that lack of knowledge. This is where others can inspire change and help direct others to change for the better. Giving others the knowledge that there is more options out there than they perceive gives them the ability to make better choices. This has been proven through such community programs as big brother and many other mentor programs across the globe. Even programs such as the Boy & Girl  Scouts have inspired change in the youth of America.

Well enough of my Babbling

Peace to All

Raymond Barbier

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