Pope Francis is traveling the world, working to create peace and change. He just completed a visit to the United States and Cuba as part of his push to bring activism out of the Vatican and into the world arena.
Regardless of your opinion of him, his actions, or his beliefs, there are lessons everyone can learn from him about how to confront your personal issues and bring about change.
The Pope demonstrates that there is no such thing as “too late”. At the age of 78, an age many would say is too old to accomplish anything, he is advocating for change around the world. He maintains a grueling schedule and long hours to share a message that often includes unpopular positions by siding with the poor, the helpless, and the underdogs.
What this dynamic Pope can teach us about change in our lives:
- We must believe that change can occur. Without that belief, the work will defeat us and we will give up. If we can not believe that wholeheartedly, we need people with us who can help us come to that belief. Pope Francis turned his focus to the world stage after taking steps to clean up the problems inside the Catholic Church. He believes the world can change for the better.
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We need well-defined goals. Goals give us direction and a way to formulate a plan for change. Clear, well-defined goals help us meet a problem head-on. For example, Pope Francis had a goal to end the half-century hostility between Cuba and the US.
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Take action. Change will not occur without action. Every change begins with baby steps that will grow until finally you can take bold action on your behalf. In order to take action toward his goal of ending hostility between the 2 countries, the Pope sent a representative to Presidents Obama and Castro offering his support and the Vatican’s assistance.
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Be persistent. Change does not come quickly or easily; expect both successes and setbacks. There will be disappointments and discouragement, but you must come back to fight another day. The U-S and Cuba sent top officials to the Vatican to discuss an agreement. On December 16, 2014 Obama and Castro sealed the deal. The Pope knows it takes time to create change and realizes that there is still work to be done.
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Have trusted advisers, a team. It takes more than one person to help bring about change. You will need friends, teachers, playmates and a therapist. People who will tell you the truth, who will hold you in the hard times and celebrate your successes. People who believe in you. It is well known that Pope Francis has a team of trustworthy, intelligent and talented advisers. He is not trying to tackle his goals alone.
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Look beyond the moment to your future successes. The process of change is bigger than the present moment. Every inch of progress finally adds up to a significant change. After a setback in the Middle East, Pope Francis was quoted as saying,”At the present, the smoke of the bombs, the smoke of the wars, does not allow the door to be seen, yet the door has remained from that moment.” (Time Magazine, September 28, 2015). He continues to believe in the progress that has been made, not in the discouragement of the moment.
7. Understand that change will bring mixed reviews. Change causes conflict and often challenges the people in your life. Some will celebrate with you and some will be angry. The Pope’s popularity has fallen, yet this has not stopped him from going forward with his work to improve the world.
We all can change no matter what our age. It is never too soon or too late. An old dog can indeed learn new tricks. We may miss opportunities in our life but the possibility of change still remains.
Do you want to make changes in your life? Are you having problems creating a team of people to help you? Calling me can be your first step in creating change in your life.
I think this Pope is the best thing that has happened to the Catholic Church. You don’t have to be Catholic, Christian, or even religious to appreciate his message.