Do you believe people can change??

Question

do you believe others can change...and do you believe that if u wanted to change u can...and why is it always so hard to change even when you want to??

Answer 1

Normally you hear the saying, A leopard can't change it's spots, But I do believe people can change if they want to. Just like smoking or any other bad habit, what we do day to day and how we act are habitual. We tend to develop those habits throughout the years. That is why when we seek to change it seems so difficult. However, just like smoking, those bad habits can be overcome. First individually, one needs to come to the realization that they are in need of a change. To do this you must really and truly know yourself and where it is you want to go in life. How many of us can say we do know ourselves is the question.

Answer 2

Yes. It's just very difficult to overcome the things that come naturally to you. Anyone can make the conscious decision to change if they want to, but they have to put forth a great deal of effort. Humans will usually take the path of least resistance, it's easier to stay the same than to change, even when change is for the better.

We are a combination of nature & nurture. Some things we are born with (physical characteristics etc). These we can't really change (short of plastic surgery which I wouldn't recommend! Be happy with who you are!) Our behaviour, personality etc is partly innate (some people are born shy etc) and partly learned (the way that we are socialized by parents, peers etc). If we really want to overcome something we can force ourselves, but it's very uncomfortable. Basically you fake it until you feel it. I'm a shy person. I could never (scratch that, at this stage in my life I can't imagine ever) approach a stranger & say hello. Yet if I wanted to change & it was my goal, I could force myself to talk to strangers, to act friendly, to be outgoing (even if I was trembling inside). Eventually it would become second nature & I'd feel comfortable being sociable. But I'm content to be an introvert for now! :)

Some people have unhealthy habits & addictions. Sometimes they don't want to change or find it too difficult to change. If they want to badly enough and are willing to commit themselves to changing then they can (whether it's quitting smoking, giving up alcohol, drugs or whatever the addiction may be.)

Answer 3

Of course people change. Even if they don't want to they can't help it. The human brain receives new information all the time and this is going to impact on our attitudes and behaviour. It may not be so apparent, because the change is gradual. But if you compare yourself today with how you were ten years ago, you will notice the difference.
At the most basic, we grow, we age, and we adapt to the world as it changes, i.e. new technology, tastes in fashion, etc.
Not even the most conservative person can avoid this.

Answer 4

I totally agree that others can change, even ourselves. It's hard to change because of so many factors. One primary factor is we don't know what will happen out of those changes. Although it's hard to change at times, you can't really say that we don't like change. Just think of getting a new car, a new house, etc. That's change right? It's just how we look at it.

Answer 5

I think that people can change to some extent. I view people's thoughts as being split between the emotional and the rational. The emotional thoughts come from the hardwired parts of our brain -- brain chemicals that make us feel and want, shaped by natural selection to promote the most basic behaviors that are necessary for our survival. The rational thoughts allow us to choose how we react to these emotions. If I am hungry, do I eat or not? As human societies become more complex and we become more secure against the dangers that are posed by living in nature, the emotions become more complex and interesting. If I do not eat now, am I going to skip this meal or wait to eat with a friend, etc...?

Given this premise, we can affect our rational thoughts, or how we choose to react to our emotions. This suggests that we can change our behavior. If a person acts like a jerk, I would assume that he has some sort of antagonistic emotions that he chooses to translate into unfriendly behavior with the rational part of his brain. He could choose to act differently -- to leave the room, to stop for a minute to calm himself, etc.

But how a person reacts to his emotions really depends his personality. In terms of being able to change our emotion, our personality, and things deeper, I really don't know.

Answer 6

People do change. Change can be frightening for some and so they shy away from the change needed. It is fear that makes it hard, because sometimes thought is so used to something, it can't let go, even if it is bad.

Answer 7

I saw a panel of people on the Larry King Live the other night talking about how people can change their way of thinking and reacting in one month. To me, only God can author change, but we certainly have been given freedom to choose our decisions. The one who impressed me the most was a Michael Beckwith, a non denominational African American minister...I looked him up on line and found 7 days of poems he had written...I am convinced that if I read a poem each morning with a genuine willingness to change, I could!!!

Answer 8

Change the color of the day sky
I can't

But I can change, it'll have to be when I stop drinkin so much canned soda will I learn its not good for me.

And the government took 4 years to get Trans Fat out of the system of restaurant food preparation. That's a long time, alot of people couldn't stop eating Mcdonald French Fries in time to prevent themselves from coating their arteries with build up. And now have to deal with it on their own.

Answer 9

Yes I believe that people can change . Its all a matter of really wanting to. If you are not really wanting the change then it won't happen.

Answer 10

its really hard for people to change themselves, something drastic has to happen thatll spark an epiphany, or a group of people with a higher place in the chain of command can make a drastic law and things will change...likely with rebellion because we dont like change forced on us and we are used our normal lives (no matter how unnormal), i believe if you really want to change you can