We are told from an early age that a leopard can’t change its spots as a self evident article of truth.  As a professional in this field I obviously don’t see it quite this way.  Obviously we are born with a certain nature, a body and a genome that gives us a predisposition towards certain strengths and weaknesses.  We are brought up in a circumstances that gives a set of views and values, though obviously many of us rebel against those and end up in the opposite position.  As we grow up (a process that doesn’t necessarily finish when we leave school) we explore our world, experiment with different strategies, experience success & failure, pleasure & pain and all of these forge us into a particular shape.

Certainly this process continues throughout our lives, but many people tend to keep repeating certain patterns once they get into their thirties.  We can read ‘self development’ books, study and give ourselves  new and different experiences that can and will change us to some extent, but as long as we remain in the same environment, then we do tend just develop within the same space rather than transform.  However, transformation is possible, if the circumstances are right. 

However, I tend to think we come here to become the very best version of ‘us’ that we can be.   We are born with all the raw material that we need to succeed in our mission, and in the perfect circumstances too.  As we know ourselves better we can show others more of who we truly are.   As we accept ourselves, we cease to try to model ourselves on others and can adopt strategies that align better with our true natures.  So perhaps rather than change our spots, we learn to display them more honestly and clearly.

I’d be interested to hear your experiences…

“A leopard can’t change its spots, but can it climb up a different tree once in a while”