Your analogies are meaningful and so easy to identify with. Not the combat or eating rats. Yikes! I can't imagine doing that - not even if they were cooked to mimic 5-star restaurant status. I love change. I'll be the first one to at least consider whether changing something at least deserves a chance. I love these two quotes best.
Change is a door opened only from the inside.  People are comforted in knowing they are not a lone pioneer on the forefront of a challenging change.

Thanks for sharing your story.