If you're not changing, you're not growing; you're not being

Host: The early morning light spilled through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft, pale glow across the room. The quiet hum of the world outside was just beginning to wake up, but inside, the room felt like a sanctuary, suspended in a moment of calm. Jack sat at the table, a cup of coffee cradled between his hands, his gaze distant, as though his thoughts were far away. Jeeny stood by the window, her fingers tracing the outline of the glass, watching as the world slowly came to life. The quote from Maggie Rogers that Jack had read earlier hung in the air between them, unspoken but present.

Jeeny: “I’ve been thinking about something Maggie Rogers said. ‘If you’re not changing, you’re not growing; you’re not being present. Change is essential.’ It feels like one of those truths that’s easy to understand, but hard to fully live by, don’t you think?”

Jack: “Change… Again. It feels like everyone talks about change like it’s some kind of cure-all, like it’s the answer to everything. Growth, being present—they all sound nice, but change is messy, it’s unpredictable. What if we’re doing fine just as we are? Why is it so necessary to always be shifting?”

Jeeny: “Because stagnation is the real danger, Jack. If you’re not changing, if you’re not growing, then what are you really doing? You’re just standing still, letting time pass you by without ever fully engaging with it. The world keeps moving, people keep evolving, but if you stay in one place, mentally, emotionally—you’re not alive in the way that matters. Change is the force that keeps us in touch with life, that keeps us present.”

Host: The air in the room seemed to grow stiller, as though the weight of their conversation had created a space all its own. Jack shifted slightly in his seat, his fingers curling tighter around the cup, his thoughts fighting against the flow of Jeeny’s words.

Jack: “But it’s exhausting, Jeeny. Change doesn’t come easy. It’s like you’re constantly having to reinvent yourself, to chase something new, something different. How do you know when it’s enough? When do you stop changing? How do you even know if the change is for the better?”

Jeeny: “You don’t always know. But that’s the point. Growth isn’t about perfection; it’s about evolution, about getting better, even if you don’t always see the results right away. Change doesn’t have to be some dramatic shift, Jack. It can be small, incremental. It’s about being present enough to recognize when something in your life needs attention, when something inside you needs to evolve. The key is to stay open, to stay engaged.”

Jack: “I get that, but I think there’s a part of me that’s afraid of the unknown. What if the changes don’t bring what we expect? What if the growth isn’t really growth at all, but just more of the same, wrapped up in a different package? Sometimes, it feels easier to just stay where I am, to avoid the discomfort.”

Host: The stillness between them deepened, the quiet tension almost palpable. The world outside seemed to fade into the background, and all that remained was the hum of their conversation, like a thread weaving through the fabric of their thoughts. Jeeny’s eyes softened as she turned away from the window, meeting Jack’s gaze with an understanding that went beyond words.

Jeeny: “I think the fear of change is normal, Jack. We’re all afraid of stepping into the unknown, of facing the parts of ourselves we’ve buried or ignored. But here’s the thing—change isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you choose. You choose to stay open, to embrace the discomfort, because you know that on the other side of it, there’s something better. Growth isn’t linear, it doesn’t always come in the form we expect, but it’s there, quietly waiting for us to catch up.”

Jack: “It’s easy to say that, to encourage growth, to say we should always be changing. But what about the parts of us that don’t want to change? What about the pieces of who we are that feel like they’re meant to stay the same, that feel solid, unshakable?”

Jeeny: “Those parts aren’t static, Jack. Even the pieces of you that feel unchangeable will evolve, whether you want them to or not. That’s the nature of life. The choice isn’t whether to change; it’s how you choose to approach it. Do you resist it, or do you flow with it? Do you stay stuck in the fear, or do you let yourself step into something new, something better?”

Host: The light from outside had almost disappeared, leaving the room bathed in the soft, cool glow of the lamps. The space between them seemed to settle into something gentler, less charged, as though Jeeny’s words had begun to seep into Jack’s consciousness. The quiet that hung in the air wasn’t heavy anymore, but instead filled with the promise of possibility.

Jack: “I see what you’re saying… It’s not about forcing change, not about chasing it down. Maybe it’s more about being present in the moment, seeing what needs to evolve, and allowing it to happen naturally. It’s about making peace with the discomfort, with the unknown, because in the end, that’s where the growth happens.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. Change isn’t something to be afraid of. It’s essential. It’s what keeps us growing, keeps us alive in ways we can’t always predict. And in that, we stay connected to the present, to what’s real, to what’s possible.”

Host: The room seemed to exhale, the stillness now a quiet acceptance. Jack sat back, the weight of the conversation lingering in the space between them, but now it felt lighter. There was a sense of quiet understanding, as if, for a moment, they had both accepted that change, though uncomfortable, was the very thing that made them feel alive. And in that, there was peace.