Here’s a funny thing about personal change. You know that you have changed, but others don’t. They still see the old you and will do so until the new you is consistent enough to supplant their memory of the old you.

As you know, one way to create a new you is to leave your past behind. As you also know, this may not help others to notice that you’ve changed.

I call it the Lizard Effect. A lizard gets away from a predator by dropping its tail as a distraction.

Equally, your past will distract others into still seeing you in that past, even though you have escaped by leaving it behind. That distraction gives change time to stick without (their) interference.

Ultimately, the lizard’s amputated tail will stop twitching and the predator will realize it was fooled into thinking the whole lizard was still there.

The same with you. Ultimately, your family and friends will realize that your past is not you.

So, if you want change to stick, leave your behind behind. Else what’s not left behind will twitch your behind for not leaving it behind.

Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.