At the age of 18, I was in a good place. I'd had a profound spiritual experience, and, as a result, I knew who I was, what I was here for, and that everybody else needed fixing.

Within less than two years I realised that I was the one that needed fixing first! My purpose has remained constant though, even though the focus of that purpose has shifted.

So what am I here for? The verse that 'spoke' to me, that 'called' to me, talks of transformation through new patterns of thinking. Change your thinking, change your World. A free translation would be: "Be being transformed by the renewing of your mind." It's from Paul's letter to the Roman Church, a community of believers who were in danger of staying stuck in the ways of thinking of those around them. They were taking their lead from the wrong sources.

I figure that's a message that's relevant for people stuck in any culture at any age. The culture in which we live can squeeze us all too easily into its own mould. We all need new patterns of thinking to make that metamorphic transformation from caterpillar to butterfly or that leap from tadpole to frog.

Knowing now that I continue to need fixing first, and that I have more to learn than I ever realised as an arrogant 18 year old, I nevertheless have to acknowledge that I've learned some useful patterns of thinking over the years. And so, I'd love to share some of those useful patterns with you. It'll be an A to Z of patterns that bring hope.

I say 'share' because you are very likely to have some better patterns too that would do me the World of good. So let's trade.

We keep these blogs short, so I'll close this one with a pattern of thought that will serve us all well: always keep learning! The moment you think you know enough, it's "Game Over!"

And in that spirit, I'd like to ask you, "What's the most important change you've made in the last year?" And, "What was the thinking that led to this change?"

Lex

A Moodscope member.