How often do you think about change in your life?

Changing something so you’re happier.

You’re coming home from work thinking – ‘I want to relax more. Work less hours and save more money.’

Or you want to eat better; cut back on sweets, eliminate bread, cheese and a few drinks after work. Cook more at home and avoid fast food take outs.

Maybe you want to be more organized paying bills, doing laundry and house cleaning.

You plan to get more rest. To see friends more often. Read instead of watching TV. Even take a class and learn something new.

Lots of things pop into your head and for good reason because you’re looking to take better care of yourself, improve and be happier. That’s what all change is about. It’s a fantastic, positive and profound desire in you that says – I intend to be me — my REAL self.

Every specific desire you have for change – every goal, plan, hope to be different, choice, action to grow, day dream, vision, thought and intention — is your true self calling to you to be who you are and who you want to be.

It’s your essential self.

The fundamental you.

It’s you at your core asking and encouraging your true self to be all you were born to be.

How amazing is that?

It’s hopeful. Empowering. Natural. Even when you’re slogging through hell and you see no immediate relief or solution in sight, the essence of you is guiding you towards change — sending you signals, messages, signs and it’s your job to recognize what you’re being told.

Be alert – aware and receptive to the changes you want.

It’s your present and your future calling to you.

It’s your direction in life.

It’s your purpose and your mission.

When you seek change, because you don’t like something about yourself, it’s such a good thing. Try to see it that way instead of beating yourself up because you may not like how much you weigh or you’re too judgmental of other people.

When you want something to change it means you lack something and you’re looking to fill yourself in and out. You want something different and most often it’s something better than what you already have.

Want also means to increase or add to. It’s a positive plus sign.

Yes! Change takes work but the picture of yourself achieving what you want is so beautiful why not go for it and keep trying until you succeed. AND…you will.

Get yourself committed

• The first step is to make up your mind that you want change.
• Then set your intention. Without a solid intention you have no direction — no map — no goal. Intentions bring together actions and thoughts so you can reach your purpose fully.
• Ask yourself this: What do I want?
• Why do I want it?

You’ll only start changing when you want to. You’ll only begin when the time is right. When you’re willing to change. It’s all on your terms and time. It’s your choice. And the challenge is to start. To simply step up and take what you want.

Change is big and to begin you want to be 100% committed to what you want to achieve.

You’ll only succeed with a plan

Be specific. Come up with a detailed plan and make sure it is achievable; that it is something you can do in the time you suggest.

– You won’t save $100 a day if you only make $300 a week.

– You won’t lose 50 pounds in 2 weeks.

– You won’t learn to play golf by taking one lesson. These things are not achievable. Change is a process and the good news is this – you know you can do it and you will as long as your plan is real…doable…workable for you.

Say you love beer and when you go out for chicken and ribs on Tuesdays you can slug back 3 or 4. But you want to change that. So do. Commit to only 2 beers. One at the bar with friends…and don’t drink it like it’s’ water. Drink it slowly. Savor it and make sure ½ your bottle is taken to the table when you sit down.

Then only eat half your order of chicken and ribs and take the rest home. Ask for salad and brown rice and cut out the potato salad, beans and macaroni salad and pull off the chicken skin too.

It’s a step into change.

May I? Yes. You may take one baby step

Take your change one small step at a time. Some times that means hour by hour until you finish your first day.

Let’s continue to focus on eating better. Drink more water. Every time you have a desire to just eat…to throw a handful of nuts in your mouth or chips, make a conscious choice to drink water instead. It’s a challenge because often times it’s much easier to binge away or simply open the refrigerator door and pick at last night’s pasta.

– Keep a water bottle by your bed, on your desk and by the kitchen sink – have it in sight and drink away and replace you hunger with water.

– Keep carrots and celery readily available and eat those instead. Cherry tomatoes and avocados are also good to train and change with.

– Have your main meal at lunch and then a light snack at dinner before you go to bed and have it early.

– Keep a food journal for 2 weeks and write down everything you eat throughout your day. It creates awareness and supports choice for change.

Your rewards and celebration

One day each week have ‘a bounty day’. Meaning…you can eat whatever you want and as much as you want. Schedule that day once a week and stick to it. This way you won’t feel you’re losing out or giving up things you love. Don’t suffer. Make change as bountiful and pleasurable as possible. Then start again watching what you eat the next day.

Change is a celebration not a punishment.

3 Simple games to change how you see change

1. Look up all the synonyms for the word ‘change’. Then find one you like.  Consciously use it and choose it to change.  Something like this – ‘Today I’m going to ‘VARY’ the way I exercise.’ Or – ‘I’m ‘MODIFYING’ the way I’m only focused on myself.’ Have some fun!

2. Write down all the alternative words for ‘change’, cut them into strips, put them in a jar and pull one out each day and live it all day long.

3. Bake fortune cookies and put a motto for change in those cookies. Give them out to friends and tell them what you’re doing. Maybe it will help them with change and you’ll change about trying to change all by yourself!

These are basic, fun, innovative suggestions to assist you with change, which is your friend. Make some games up for yourself.

Change is a choice and choice is your greatest freedom.

Why complain and sit still doing nothing when you can stand up and walk forward into the light of change and take flight.

Self-help author Tony Robins says it like this –

By changing nothing, nothing changes.

Go ahead. What are you waiting for? Start to change and soar like an eagle…right into your true self.

Thanks – Michael

If you liked this post, take a look at –You Always Have A Choice.
And, please pass this along to encourage change. I’m counting on you!