Following is one in a series of articles based on the words of New Thought leaders — current or past.
New Thought Inspiration from Mark Nepo
Mark Nepo (born February 23, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York), is a poet and 
philosopher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for over 30 years. Nepo is best known for his New York Times #1 bestseller, The Book of Awakening. He has published 12 books and recorded six audio projects. A cancer survivor, Nepo writes and teaches about the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationships.
“There are many ways that we grow, but there are two major ways: We shed what no longer works, or we’re broken open. If we’re unwilling to shed, then we will be broken open. Through shedding, we are worn down, just as nature is eroded to its beauty. I think that through suffering, human beings are eroded to our beauty.”
We grow either by changing or being changed.
The universe is an ever growing and changing entity. And, as part of the universe, we, too, must change with it!
According to Mark Nepo, either we move with the change, or we will be broken open, worn down or eroded. Sounds harsh, but think about how many times we changed for the better because of a seeming misfortune in our lives.
Either we let go or we are broken open — very much like nature! When the spring waters move through the swollen stream, the bank surrenders and moves with the river. It doesn’t fight, it doesn’t resist!
What can you do today to let go, move through change, and claim your true beauty?
One last quote from Mark Nepo on change:
“To journey without being changed, is to be a nomad. To change without journeying is to be a chameleon. To journey and to be transformed by the journeying is to be a pilgrim.”
