Every time we see something new, our perception about how things are changes. Every time we hear something new, our perception about how things are changes. Every time we experience something new, our perception about how things are changes. If our perception is altered so easily by what we see, hear, and experience, then why do we insist we cannot change because that’s how things are?

If the process does not produce the results we want, it is common sense and business sense to stop doing that process and try something new or at least modify the process until it produces the results we want. The act of adaptability is a natural characteristic found in all plants, animals, and humans. It is ingrained in our DNA to modify our surroundings to make it meet our most basic needs of survival and give us what we want. We see this trait in two-year-olds when they start taking ownership of their house, toys, and everything else they see.

Why then do we feel we cannot act on our most basic instinct when it comes to our own systems of humanity? Communities will watch as more discrimination is openly promoted and and the people will shrug their shoulders and say, “That’s just how things are.” Opportunities of changing our environment fall practically into our laps and we shrug our shoulders and say, “That’s just how things are.” Every time the process fails to produce what we want for ourselves and our families, we shrug our shoulders and say, “That’s just how things are.” When we see direct violations of our own laws committed right in front of our faces, we shrug our shoulders and say, “That’s just how things are.” We even use this phrase to beat down the confidence of anyone who realizes that we are not restricted to the mistakes of the past. “Sit down. Be quiet. That’s just how things are.”

“That’s just how things are” is an excuse we use for not doing anything to change the process we know does not work in our own lives. Change is easy if we want it. We first have to stop saying, “That’s just how things are.”