“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

I’ve often reflected on how easily change becomes something we talk about rather than practise. We discuss what should improve. We describe what others ought to do differently. And in doing so, we sometimes overlook the only place where change is fully within our control. Ourselves.

Change doesn’t begin with influence. It begins with alignment. With noticing whether your actions match your intentions. Whether your daily choices reflect the values you advocate. Whether the example you set is the one you hope others will follow.

This kind of change is subtle. It doesn’t announce itself. It shows up in small decisions. In how you listen. In how you respond under pressure. In what you tolerate. And in what you refuse to compromise.

When you live the change, you remove the distance between belief and behaviour. People may not always comment on it, but they feel it. Consistency builds credibility. And credibility, over time, becomes influence.

Leadership expressed this way doesn’t rely on authority. It relies on integrity. On the steady signal you send through repeated actions, not occasional statements.

You don’t need permission to begin. You don’t need an audience. You only need the willingness to embody what you wish the world had more of.

Life’s meaning lies in becoming the change yourself… and allowing it to ripple outward.