Doing nothing is, not only the enemy of healthy change, but it can also kill. We don’t live in a world of neutrality. Nope. Ours is a world of constant evolution and activity.

If a rock is well entrenched in the middle of a desert and if there were no such things as wind or rain, then that rock would probably stay in the same place forever. But the reality is that the Earth is spinning underneath the rock, all the time. This spinning through time progresses at a constant forward pace: Neither time nor the Earth stand still. Even without the wind or rain, the rock is never quite the same.

Time brings complicated dances between the sun, moon, oceans, and deserts. These complicated dances and their rhythms bring wind and rain. The rock is acted upon by these elements and never has a choice but to ride through time and bear the weight of nature’s forces.

Our lives are also under constant bombardment from external forces. These forces can come in the form of a compulsion to act in an unhealthy way. If we do nothing to redirect these types of unhealthy behaviors, the behaviors themselves then become a force that acts upon our brain. Our brains then become deeply rutted towards the unhealthy behavior and then change towards health becomes more and more difficult. If we do nothing, then something will be done to us.

Mounting evidence is demonstrating that substances, when abused, change the brain. In order to stop the cycle of use and seeking more use, we all need to do something. Because we are all connected, sending negativity into the world allows unhealthiness to persist. Rather than continuing to hate, maybe we should try to smile at a perceived enemy. It would be a healing choice; in choosing health maybe we can redirect the negative energy that keeps people bound to abusing substances. I don’t think it’s fair to preach change to someone who abuses substances when we remain the same and do nothing to become healthier ourselves.

The rock in the desert doesn’t have a choice. Forces act upon the rock and the rock can do nothing about them. People, however, have choices. We all need to, first, become aware of our choices and then act upon the healthy option. If we do nothing, we will be acted upon, like the rock, until we have no choices left to make. Doing nothing can kill.