Being the Malcontent

 

Okay, so I’m not advocating revolution or dissent, but I am thinking about changing the status quo.  I’m contemplating the innovation of change.  Not just rhetorical change that politicians spout, but real, positive, life-improving change.  Have you ever just done something the same way for so long it seems alien to you to even attempt doing it a different way?  The familiar pattern is so engrained in you that the discomfort that accompanies change can seem overwhelming.  I understand that, but have you ever noticed that sometimes (actually lots of times) with no change comes stagnation. 

Stagnation is detrimental to experiencing the new.  It saps creativity and inspiration and clouds your mind’s eye to something fresh.  Case in point, driving home from work is a chore, but I go a certain way because I know it to be the fastest.  What I noticed was, after a while, I stopped noticing things: The scenery, the buildings, the road signs.  I recall thinking that I didn’t even want to go home because it was the same old boring trip.  So, I went a different way.  Okay, I wasn’t transported into a fantastic wonderland (wouldn’t that have been cool?), but I made a conscious choice for change. It at least made the trip home more enjoyable.  Point being, I experienced something different, albeit a very small difference, but it made me feel better. 

Being a malcontent with the status quo is a good thing.  When things are always the same nothing different will ever happen.  I’ve learned that experiences both good and bad help foster an innovative and creative spirit. New experiences demand that the status quo be broken. Now, every day doesn’t have to be completely random and unpredictable, that would be chaos (although for a time it might be fun).  But shaking things up and refocusing your attention, energy and thoughts to something new will drive new experiences.  I’ve come to understand, at least for me, the new is an exciting thing, one to be sought after.  Now you might not be as adventurous, but focusing on your malcontent state and deliberately scrambling it up a bit will benefit you a little.  At least it might show you just how good things are right now.  If they aren’t good, well then, maybe you’ll just find yourself in the middle of a personal revolution.  Trust me, it can actually be a good thing.