“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” — By Rumi

In my journey as a spiritual seeker, I have often encountered individuals tirelessly working to correct and rearrange the external world, hoping that this will bring them the happiness they seek. We all have a natural inclination to use our logical brain to manipulate our surroundings, believing that achieving our desires and wants will lead to lasting contentment in our personal life.

However, through my own experiences and the wisdom of profound thinkers, I’ve come to understand that the true path to eternal happiness lies not in changing the world around us, but in transforming our internal world.

One quote that deeply resonates with this idea is by the great poet Rumi:

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

Reflecting on this quote, I realize that my journey mirrors this transformation.

There was a time when I, too, believed that happiness in my personal life was a destination reached by altering external circumstances. I strategized, planned, and executed changes in my personal life, all in pursuit of a volatile sense of fulfillment.

Yet, despite these efforts, I often felt incomplete, always chasing after the next commitment, the next milestone, the next external change that i need to accomplish to please others. Only when I turned inward, focusing on re-arranging my inner world, I discovered the profound and lasting happiness I had been seeking.

By shifting my attention inward, I learned to recognize and address the internal obstacles blocking my path to happiness. I cultivated self-awareness, practiced Dhyana (meditation & mindfulness), cultivated a letting-go mindset, and embraced self-compassion. Through these practices, I began to understand that the external world, with all its challenges and uncertainties, would never be fully under my control. But my internal world — my thoughts, emotions, and reactions to the external world — could be nurtured and transformed for the betterment of me.

This inner transformation not only brought me a deep sense of peace and fulfillment but also positively influenced my external reality. As I became more aligned with my true self, my actions and decisions naturally reflected this inner harmony, leading to more meaningful and authentic experiences in my outer world.

Today, as a coach & spiritual seeker, I share this wisdom with those I guide. I encourage them to embark on their journey of internal transformation, assuring them that true and lasting happiness comes not from changing the world, but from changing oneself.

In this way, the words of Rumi serve as a beacon, reminding us that the path to eternal happiness begins within. By re-arranging our internal world, we unlock the potential for a life filled with true joy and contentment.