Today, the day this interview is published I will have lived in Hawaii for exactly one year.
It took a tremendous amount of Saying Yes to Change for me to make that move. I have many who say to me they wish they could do the same. What I have to say to anyone who has a dream, who wants to be all that they can be and live with a sense of peace, well being and deep happiness is they must start by Saying Yes to Change.
Alex Blackwell has written an inspiring book on change. In my quest to inspire others to find their joy in life and live it, I have interviewed Alex. Here are some of his thoughts. I highly recommend his book. It will make you want to start your personal happiness journey today.
Alex, your book Saying Yes to Change: 10 Timeless Life Lessons for Creating Positive Change is so hard core realistic, it speaks loud and clear to so many. In fact I believe your book will allow many who have been struggling with naming what they are even feeling, or wanting, or needing to define it to a much deeper level.
Jt: I felt as though you have come to the place you are actually grateful for having a childhood the way you did. It may be something I 
projected from my own experience. What things do you think about now differently when it comes to your childhood than you did in your earlier self driven for success days?
ALEX: Jt, first of all: Happy Anniversary. Congratulations for having the courage to follow your heart and live where you like.
I believe there are no accidents without value. Meaning, we have the choice to look at our past and see only the bad; or we can choose to look at our past and see something valuable. Today, looking through a 49-year-old lens (age gives us 20/20 vision when looking back), I do see pain, but I also see a little boy who was determined to make it through. The persistence that drove him then, is driving me today – it’s driving me to share my message of hope, love and self-acceptance. And there’s a ton of value in that.
Jt: In my past I’ve attended many seminars that have been amazing. They are lessons I take with me and use still to this day. Many of them did change what I had been stuck in for years in moments. It seems you had this happen with Breakthrough. What would you tell someone who wanted to know if this kind of breakthrough happen within moments or take years to actually come to truly understand?
Alex: The BreakThrough seminar was a jump start; an awakening. It taught me to pull back some layers that had been hiding my thoughts and emotions. As the seminar was concluding, the training director left us with one more reminder, “The training isn’t over.”
His words are still true today. What I mean is even after committing to change, and seeing early success, our paths to change must be walked every day. So, while my training isn’t over yet, I feel my heart is changing a little more each day. With that, I can celebrate the exhilarating moments that change brings as I wait patiently for more change to happen.
Jt: You write about the moment when change begins. Do you think this is something we all know (the moment) and yet choose to walk away from out of fear of change more often than we actually stand up and walk through to the other side even if we knew there was happiness to be found over there?
Alex: For me, the moment when change began was when I made the deliberate choice to change! I think people don’t really change until they are ready to change.
Jt: I’m a fan of “3 Things”. If you had to pick 3 things out of your list of 10 Steps for Transforming Negative Thoughts Into Positive Beliefs you wanted everyone to take with them, what would they be?
Alex: Tough question Jt – here goes:
- Lesson Four: Recognize Your Beauty – accept and love your true self.
- Lesson Six: Be Inspired By Love – create and sustain loving, positive relationships.
- Lesson Nine: Take Down the White Flag – find the courage to overcome barriers.
Jt: You write about you feelings towards your mother. One of the statements was you didn’t care if you ever saw her again at one point in your life. I felt this same way about my father. Do you feel like many people feel this way and just don’t even know if they could put words out loud to that effect?
Alex: Sadly, I think so Jt.
Before my mother died three years ago, I felt guilty about my feelings, but I also wanted to be authentic to myself. It’s such a slippery slope to be angry with our parents. We are expected to honor and love them, but sometimes our circumstances paint a different reality.
Jt: How does publishing this book make you feel?
Alex: I feel like I just did something good Jt.
I’m tired and apprehensive about if others will like it, but deep inside, I know the book reflects my message, my soul, and my heart.
Jt: Your Simple Path weekly series is awesome. Was the art of your work to publish it inspiration for writing your book Saying Yes to Change: 10 Timeless Life Lessons for Creating Positive Change?
Right now the two are unrelated. My book is based on my past eight-year change journey. But look for a book based on A Simple Path series (which I love to write) in the future!
Alex Blackwell is the Founder of The BridgeMaker. His first book, Saying Yes to Change: 10 Timeless Life Lessons for Creating Positive Change is now available on Amazon. Connect with Alex on Facebook.