Think Like An Optimist: Change Your Life

Is optimism an effective mindset or merely a rosy way of looking at things?

Whether optimism is an effective mindset or a rosy way of looking at things is a question that has been debated for centuries. I couldn’t find an easy answer, as there are both benefits and drawbacks to an optimistic outlook.

So, while you may lean to one side or the other in the debate, the answer is probably somewhere in between. Optimism can be a powerful tool for improving our mental and physical health, but it's important to be realistic and avoid excessive optimism.

The best way to use optimism is to find a balance between realism and positivity. It means being positive about our chances of success, but also being prepared for the possibility of failure. Optimism can be a powerful force for good in our lives when we find this balance.

What exactly is optimism?

Some people seem to be naturally more optimistic than others. No matter what fate throws their way, they’re not defeated or angry. They don’t become bitter or even remain cast down for long. So, what is it about some people that prevents them from being crushed by adversity? It comes down to mindset.

Everyone has unfortunate things happen in their life. It’s part of being human. But where some people feel brought to their knees by events, others stay relatively cheerful through bad times. Even seriously bad times like being laid off or going through a divorce. These people are optimists.

Optimism means finding the best in every situation and expecting good things to happen regardless of what’s going on in the present moment. Research shows that optimism can have a positive impact on all areas of your life. From strengthening the immune system to reducing your risk of anxiety and depression, even having a longer life!

Optimists.

    • Don’t blame themselves when things go wrong.

    • Focus on the present and future, and don’t dwell on past hurts.

    • Expect good things to happen to them.

    • Believe they are responsible for their happiness.

Rewiring your thought patterns.

You might be thinking that optimism is innate: that you’re either an optimist or a pessimist. But optimism or pessimism stems from your self-talk, how you react to things, what you expect, and your self-image. The messages we received back in early childhood influenced this. Were you told you were selfish or lazy or no good at math? The feedback that you received about yourself and the world (whether it is a safe or dangerous place) shaped your expectations of adulthood.

These pesky negative thoughts are not you; you can change them. You can reset your pessimistic mindset and become more optimistic by reframing your negative experiences and thoughts into positive ones. If something goes wrong, instead of dwelling on the failure and making it personal, try to be objective and analyze what happened. Did someone else make a decision that impacted whether your project was successful or not? What did you learn from the experience?

Embracing positive thinking also involves being kind to yourself. Optimists don’t stay stuck in the past. If something doesn’t work out the way they thought it would, they move on, confident that success and abundance are just around the corner. Optimists are grateful for the good in their lives right now. They know that there is more than enough to go around, and they understand that the world is full of opportunities for everyone.

You have the power to change your mindset. Have you tended to look on the gloomy side or feel that life is unfair, and you feel powerless? Think about optimism as another skill you can learn. Optimism is a skill of emotional intelligence, a learned habit, and it’s a skill you can begin to develop right now.

When you learn to radiate optimism, you have the power to inspire and uplift those around you.

Optimism vs. positive thinking.

There’s a big difference between being optimistic and thinking positively regardless of what’s going on around you. True optimism stays grounded and doesn’t ignore the facts. It doesn’t mean that you disregard or try to deny feelings of sadness, anger, or grief.

To remain optimistic is to believe that no matter what is happening now, isn’t the end of it. You trust that the future will be better. There will be times in life when things are difficult and look bleak. But remaining optimistic means there’s a way out, something to cling to when times are tough.

Here are some strategies to help you stay optimistic, even in the worst times.

    1. Resilience, optimism, and the reality of your feelings.

An optimistic person recognizes their feelings, be it anger, frustration, disappointment, or sadness, and they don’t stop there. Acknowledging your feelings allows you to feel them, process them, and move forward. Optimism and resilience go hand in hand. You can build resilience and bounce back from challenges with a positive outlook.

    2. Focus on what you have.

The company you keep can play a considerable role in your mindset. Surround yourself with positive, uplifting people who inspire you. Ignore the cynics and the negative things in the world. If you don’t, you may miss the small, positive things that surround you.

Notice the good things in your life that you might usually take for granted. Your morning coffee, a reliable water supply, and clean air, knowing you can get to school or the grocery store or to work safely. Being grateful for the life you have now builds up a resilience credit to help you endure tough times when they come. And they will come.

    3. Refrain from consuming bad news.

Obsessively checking social media and news sites will keep your focus on the negative, competitive, complaining view of the world. It’s a lopsided view that thrives on generating dissatisfaction and despair. Of course, you should be aware of current events but make it a conscious choice to balance it with your mental health. Sometimes reading the headlines is enough. Steer clear of the internet and focus on making a positive change in your own life.

    4. Live a genuine life.

Building optimism can assist you to live the best life you can, being true to yourself and your values. Optimism means you choose to live in alignment with your desires and your best self. Having a deep-seated belief that you can live a good life and that there’s more than enough to go around is not putting a falsely positive spin on reality. On the contrary, an optimist looks squarely at reality and works out how to make the best of what he has.

Embody optimism in daily life.

Optimism has been linked to a number of benefits, including better mental and physical health, increased resilience, and greater success in life.

A daily optimism practice is a simple but effective way to boost your optimism and improve your overall well-being. Follow these 10 simple tips, see the world through a more positive lens, and create a happier life for yourself.

1. Delve into the practice of gratitude. Take a few minutes each morning to write down or think about three things you are grateful for. This will help you focus on the positive aspects of your life and set a positive tone for the day.

2. Find the silver lining. When something bad happens, try to find the silver lining. This doesn't mean you have to be happy about the bad thing; instead, it means you can try to find something positive to take away from it.

3. Focus on your strengths. List your strengths and remind yourself of them regularly. This will help you feel more confident and optimistic about your abilities.

4. Help others. Being kind to someone else is a great way to boost your own happiness and optimism. It can also help you connect with others and feel more connected to your community.

5. Take care of yourself. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Eat healthy foods, and exercise regularly. Taking care of your physical and mental health will help you feel better and more optimistic about your life.

6. Spend time in nature. Our surroundings impact our mood and mindset. Being in nature has been shown to increase optimism.

7. Read positive books or articles. Surrounding yourself with positive messages can help you remain optimistic.

8. Listen to uplifting music. Music can have a powerful effect on your mood. So, listening to uplifting music can help boost optimism.

9. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It can help you focus on the positive aspects of your life and let go of negative thoughts.

10. Visualize your goals. Taking time every day to visualize your goals can help you stay motivated and optimistic.

My final thoughts are.

Remember, cultivating positive thinking is a lifelong practice. By integrating the strategies and mindset shifts we've explored, you'll continue to elevate your optimism and unlock a world of possibilities.

For more information, please check out these posts.

The Benefits Of Optimism

The Power Of Optimism And A Positive Mindset

Thank you for reading this post; please share it with friends and family.

How Strong Is Your Resolve?

So, already making excuses for falling off the New Year resolution wagon? You needn’t be embarrassed, so are 80-90 percent of others who made resolutions. Instead, take heart it’s not completely your fault. You see, it’s not all about willpower, creating positive habits is equally important.

Do you ever wish you could develop your willpower? Well, you can. Willpower works a lot like a muscle. Exercise it regularly, and it becomes stronger. The key is to make using your willpower a daily habit, and that’s easier than you may think.

Willpower plus positive habits.

Having plenty of willpower is a good thing. While some people seem to have more of it than others, many people struggle from time to time with not having enough. Sure, you can get better at reaching your goals with practice and discipline. But, if that's all it took, everyone would be skinny, fit, and in good financial shape. That’s just not how the world works though, and at times, we all struggle with finding the willpower to reach our long-term goals. 

Luckily, there’s another strategy and skill set that’s just as important as willpower. It’s creating positive habits and routines as a support system for your willpower. Here’s how this works and what it has to do with willpower. Let’s say you want to make a positive change in your life. It doesn’t matter what that is. It could be to read more books specific to your career, so you can learn more and become better at what you do. Or it could be to journal to understand your behavior better.

Begin with a goal in mind.

The simplest way to make sure you are exercising your willpower daily is to work towards a goal. When you have a reason and a purpose, you don’t have to remember what to do to work out those exercise muscles. You just do something that positions you closer to your goal each day.

Consider what that should be. It helps to focus on a single goal at a time instead of trying to change too many things in your life. Pick one area, one thing you want to change or improve and set your goal. Make it a measurable goal with a deadline connected to it. Instead of saying that you want to lose weight, make your goal to lose 25lbs. By Easter, for example.

Alter your goal into a plan using a daily action item.

Once your goal is set, it’s time to come up with a plan for what you need to do to reach said goal. It’s just a matter of considering what you need to do daily to go from where you are today to where you want to be and thus achieve your goal. Let’s look at an example. Let’s say your goal is to get fit enough to run a 5K race in six months. To make that happen, you must work out daily, starting with brisk walks, then a mixture of walking and jogging, graduating to daily runs that get longer and longer until running 5K will be an easy task. 

The plan then is to begin week one with daily 30-minute walks, for example. Those are your daily action items. It gives you something specific to do to exercise your willpower and something measurable you can track.

Use strategies in addition to willpower to establish new habits.

Lastly, it’s time to turn this willpower exercise into a habit. The easiest way to do this is to establish new positive routines. Willpower and habits work together. You must pay attention to both and use them in tandem. Use your willpower to create new habits one at a time. Once that new behavior has become a real habit, you can focus on the next one. Going back to the earlier examples of reading and journaling, start with one of them.

At first, it takes a lot of willpower to make yourself read a few pages or go through 15 minutes of journaling. A better strategy would be to wake up, prepare your coffee, get comfortable in your favorite chair, or sit on the couch and do your reading there. Make sure your book is waiting for you there, and you have reading glasses and light to read by if needed. Add a fun pillow or throw to create a cozy reading spot that you look forward to using. Then begin to establish the habit by using your willpower to make it happen every morning, come rain or shine.

Stick to your new habit.

Follow this new habit until it becomes something you no longer even think about completing. Establishing this new routine can take anywhere from one to three months. Stick with it until it’s just what you do in the morning. Then begin adding the journaling to the mix using the same strategy of having a notebook and pens at the ready in a comfortable place to write until it has become a real habit.

If you use your willpower wisely and add strategies, it will become easier to make this happen every morning. Before you know it, your new task has become a habit and part of your overall routine. At that point, it doesn’t take willpower anymore. Just like you don’t need to remind yourself to brush your teeth.

My final thoughts.

It would be nice to have an extra boost of willpower when you need it most. So, make your plans to reach your goals, add strategies that can increase your success, and avoid the urge to quit.

Another trick to help you stick to your habit is to make it visual by adding it as a recurring event on your calendar.

For more information, read these posts.

New Year Resolution Statistics

Why We Fail To Achieve Our New Year Resolutions

Please share this post with someone you love.

Believe In Yourself

Gram’s Wisdom 34 Believing in you

Should you believe in yourself? The plain answer is no one else will. Try accomplishing anything, and guess what? You will have an uphill climb to your goal. Sure, you will get there eventually, but any doubts you have will make it much more difficult than it needs to be.

You can’t do everything yourself. At some point, you are certain to need the help of someone for something. If you don’t believe in yourself, how will you ever convince others that they can or should?

I think I must have been 12 or 13 when my Gram thought I was old enough to absorb this lesson. This was a tough one for me. I honestly didn’t believe in myself. But I had believed in her all my life.

Gram told me if you believe in yourself, there is little that can stop you from doing whatever you want to accomplish. It gives you the ability to push forward and to defy the odds.

You will be able to handle any hurdles that come your way. You will also be able to disregard the pessimists. It gives you peace of mind when you stick to your self-belief.

A firm belief in yourself can work wonders

It’s vital to believe in yourself

Your spouse and your family will believe in you to a certain degree. However, when times get tough, family support tends to wane. It’s not that they don’t love and care about you. It’s just they stopped believing in you or your dream/goal. While this doesn’t always occur, it often occurs enough to cause disagreement.

When a spouse or parents initially give you support for a new enterprise, there is excitement in the air; they tell you to give it your best shot. When the undertaking doesn’t work out as they believe it should, they begin to question whether you should continue with it. If your belief weakens, you may take on their way of reasoning.

That time is exactly the moment that you shouldn’t stop. People don’t get ahead by quitting. Your belief in yourself should equip you with the ability to tell your friends and family to have some faith. A firm belief in yourself would give you the courage to stand up to them.

Maintaining self-belief takes perseverance

The trouble is, the path towards success in these endeavors is not a straight line. Having some bumps in the road is normal. This is what characterizes the success of the enterprise, and the people who take risks. It should be embraced and not feared. Whatever venture you decide to pursue, know that only by continuing will you make it work.

Don’t take the easy way out. Instead, prepare yourself as much as possible for unfamiliar situations. But move forward with a strong belief that you can accomplish what you set out to do.

Self-belief powers your dreams, desires, and goals

To keep that self-belief strong, you need to describe your goals. You wouldn’t expect a contractor to build a house without a blueprint. You, too, need an outline to guide you on how to continue. Too many people skip this step and wonder why they aren’t getting anywhere.

Goals are your direction but moving ahead with them is only done when you believe that it’s possible. The belief is the momentum you need to act. It helps you to concentrate on getting your tasks complete.

Confidence is built on self-belief

You will also build confidence when you have self-belief. It’s an influential tool and others will be attracted to that confidence. They will follow your lead, and you will help show them what is imaginable. When you stumble over obstacles (and you will), that confidence will help you see them through. You will know how to take alternate actions when necessary. The people following you will appreciate that as well.

Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative

Several negative forces will try to knock you down. You may even find yourself allowing it to happen. You need to remain focused on why you began your journey in the first place. Use positive affirmations to support your idea. Be consistent with your affirmations.

Unfortunately, many of the negative forces are going to come from your family and friends. They will see it as helping you prevent blunders. Many people will succumb to this negative pressure and give up.

One way to counteract this is to join groups of like-minded individuals. It can be related to your business, or it can be groups that focus on self-help. These organizations exist to try and drive the negative forces out. It’s a good place to go and receive reassurance from the group.

Attending these groups can sometimes lead to friendships with people where you can extend the encouragement of each other. You may even form business collaborations from these friendships. It’s good to know that you have the support of these people when these relationships form. They understand when everyone else around you don’t. Your self-belief will strengthen considerably from this arrangement.

Find others who can motivate and inspire you

The motivation of others can bolster belief in yourself

Think back to a time when someone inspired you. It could be a conference you attended or saw online. You might have read a profile of someone you admired. Whatever the case, the motivation of others can strengthen how you see yourself.

The internet gives us plenty of opportunities to view the stories of high-profile people. Just search on YouTube, and you will find hundreds (if not thousands) of videos of these people sharing their experiences. You will find books covering the same subject. However, there's usually more detail in books rather than in a video. Therefore, you should take advantage of both.

Don’t mistake motivation and inspiration for necessary action 

It’s important to have others who help inspire and motivate you. However, if you place them too high on a pedestal, you may find it difficult to motivate yourself. You begin to suppose these people have an innate ability that you don’t possess. That is counterproductive. You need to recognize they all began the same as you. Some may have had initial advantages, but even people with these advantages don’t always excel. Most people still need to work hard to reach their goals.

Another issue is spending too much time listening or reading about people who motivate you. You must take appropriate action to move ahead with your own goals. It is useful to be motivated by others, but you need to do more than go to seminars or read books. None of that matters unless you put in the effort yourself. Once that happens, others may come to you one day to say how you helped motivate them.

My final thought

Self-belief is one of the most valuable things you can do for your life and yourself. It’s not easy to think positively about yourself when you are besieged on all sides by negativity. But to believe in yourself is certainly worth any effort you make.

For additional information, please read this post by Soul Salt.

How to Believe in Yourself

I hope you enjoyed this post and will share it with people you love. 

Successful Days Lead To A Successful Mindset

The definition of success

The meaning of success defined by most dictionaries is the achievement of a goal. I believe a success-mindset is made through daily worthy goals accomplished.

Just achieving the tasks, you need to do instead of dawdling will encourage you to continue because you’ve stayed on track and didn’t drop the ball. Staying the course helps a successful mindset to become stronger and more flexible.

Gram’s Wisdom 32

My Gram used to say, a successful day is when you go to bed feeling like you’ve achieved something worthy during your day, and it’s enough to give you a sense of happiness and satisfaction?

She told me, to have a successful day, I should begin doing just one worthwhile thing one day. Repeating that process until it became a habit.

As I grew older, Gram revisited the idea of a successful day with me. Speaking of how success may be desired by all, but what constitutes success is different for each person.

Then, Gram reminded me that the little things are important. You don’t need massive actions or huge triumphs to accomplish something significant in your life. So, stop looking for the large wins and instead, focus on the small, steady, daily wins.

With that in mind, the tips below are small changes for you to make that can have a big impact on your success.  

5 Tips you can apply to achieve more success daily

1 | Plan your tomorrow the evening before

It’s an excellent practice to spend 10 to 15 minutes each evening (or when you’ve finished with your daily work) planning what you’ll do the next day. Have a to-do list with 3-4 important tasks that MUST be completed and at least one small thing you do simply because it makes you happy.

This list will act as a schedule for the next day. Once you have completed your morning routine, you can now begin your day productively, rather than spending time in planning mode.

2 | Do the hard stuff first

I think the hard stuff is those things you truly can't bear to do, or just don’t want to do. They may or may not be difficult, but they are often stressful for you to perform.

In his book, “Eat That Frog!”, Brian Tracy emphasizes a very useful technique to eliminate procrastination. He says that you should complete the most difficult tasks of the day FIRST!

The goal is to begin working on them as soon as you can. Try not to fret about it and just get started. Procrastination leads to uncertainty and your mind begins making up excuses and plausible reasons to avoid doing the actions you’re supposed to take.

So, start without thinking and finish whatever you dread doing. Once you’ve completed these tasks, you’ll instantly feel relieved and satisfied at having accomplished something worthy of your day.

(This might be a good time to do the fun thing. As a bribe.)

3 | Move that body daily

Exercise is crucial no matter what type of job or profession you’re in. One should never be too busy to spend at least 20 to 30 minutes a day exercising. Your body will release endorphins that make you feel happier.

Exercise helps with focus, expands your reasoning, and memory skills.

Not only that, but exercise will boost your energy levels too. You’ll feel like your life is more balanced, and subconsciously you know that you’re living a more productive life.

Very often, feeling successful is about knowing that you’re doing the right things and progressing in life. This affects your emotional and mental health levels in positive ways.

4 | Challenge yourself each day

Here are a few examples of how you can challenge yourself.

Be more mindful. Let go of any negative thoughts you have without judging them.

Step outside your comfort zone by facing some small fears. You’ll be surprised by the amount of headway you can make toward dispelling them if you apply yourself.

Build your confidence by going after and learning the skills necessary for something new you have always wanted or something you have just put off.

Stop complaining about everything. No one owes you, no one cares, and no one wants to hear it. Instead, try being kinder and more compassionate to yourself and others.

Read more books. Read a book by an unfamiliar author about an unaccustomed subject. Push yourself to read beyond your present understanding, and you will grow.

Success is a habit… and this is how you train yourself to seek success daily. Inch by inch, you’ll get better.

5 | You are accountable for your success

Accountability is something you do for yourself, not something others do for you.

Do you truly understand what you value? YOU get to design what is a worthy successful day. Have you ensured that what you choose is aligned with the results you want?

Did you accomplish what you proposed to do? Were you sidetracked and did you waste time along the way? Did you check off the tasks on your to-do list?

Do you creatively deal with your obstacles, and learn from your failures as well as your successes? Are you measuring your results immediately, or at a length of time to see your progress?

You must hold yourself accountable every single day. No one can do this for you. You are ultimately responsible for your success or failure. So, evaluate your performance, honestly.

Initially, adopting these 5 techniques might be challenging because they’re new to you. But as the days go by, you’ll realize that they are extremely helpful and aid your progress while reducing anxiety and freeing up more time for you to do what you love.

My final thought

Since success has different meanings for each of us, your success will likely look different than mine. Your day will also be distinctly unique. Yet, we all measure success in the same way, by goals achieved, regardless of the kinds of goals set. Here’s to your future success.

For more information related to this post check out the links below.

5 Ways To Have A Success Mindset

Appreciate The Little Things

I hope you enjoyed this post. Please share it with those you love.

Titanic’s Lingering Lessons

Gram’s Wisdom 16: Titanic Lessons

The original of this post was written two years ago, but it’s as relevant today as it would have been 100 years ago. I have put the link to that post at the bottom for anyone interested. I know I am as like as not going to receive a ration of shit for this post. I don’t mind. I welcome the eye-rolls I receive when I mention Titanic (you Titaniacs out there know exactly what I'm talking about).

My Gram would have called the lessons of the passengers “life learned” lessons. Since then I have noticed that we best remember them when we learn them for ourselves. They can be so easily forgotten when we don’t and frequently to our grief.

Gram took me to see “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” when I was five. She had told me she was almost my age when Titanic sank and that even in rural Indiana it made the news. Now, Debbie Reynold's as Molly, in the movie, was only aboard Titanic and in that lifeboat for about 12 minutes screen-time. I doubt as we sat in that theater that Gram had any idea what a profound effect that movie would have on me. But I have been captive to all things Titanic ever since.

To my five-year-old mind, I thought now, there was a woman who lived her life large, didn’t worry what others thought of her and made a big splash. Yet, when it was most important, she influenced the women of her boat to do the necessary rowing for warmth and safety and kept their spirits high.

Titanic’s lessons were hard, hindsight learned and full of what-ifs. If you are interested in learning more about Titanic, there are books to read and documentaries and movies to view. I have included a couple of suggestions at the bottom for anyone interested.

“There was peace, and the world had an even tenor to its way... Nothing was revealed in the morning the trend of which was not known the night before. To my mind, the world of today awoke April 15, 1912.”

— John B. (Jack) Thayer

As the 108th-anniversary approaches, these are what I observed from Titanic in no specific order

Be calm don’t panic

The musicians aboard the Titanic played to the end. That music helped to keep the passengers’ panic at bay. Panic has you running around no plan in mind and missing the last lifeboat. You make better decisions about where you are and how and where you want to go when you’re calm. More solutions to your problems seem to appear when you quietly and calmly look at them.

Life is a journey

There are beginnings and endings. Don’t rush them. Enjoy the little things. Making memories takes time. Revel in the experiences with people moving along the same path with you. This will be your family and those you choose to be with constantly. Enjoy the time you share with those whom you briefly meet along the way. Take time to appreciate the sights, sounds and smells as you go along. It’s better to see half as much and remember it than to see twice as much and remember nothing.

A life of service, going beyond                                   

The stokers and engineering crew of Titanic remained faithfully at their posts keeping the electricity so vital to the pumps, the elevators, the lights, and the all-important telegraph working. Their selflessness allowed more passengers to safely depart the ship than would have otherwise been possible.

To go beyond is lending that hand or doing that thing when it’s most needed by others. Not when it’s easiest or most convenient for you.

Pay attention to the signs

This one is difficult. Things can and do happen like a bolt out of the blue sometimes and you are unprepared for them. Often some signs are overlooked or ignored. Sometimes you want to bury your head in the sand and pretend nothing bad will happen to you. When you begin to see signs it’s time to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Strength and perseverance

You don’t always get what you want. Sometimes you just get what you get, and you must make the best of it. People who can do this are strong because it's never easy to make the best of a bad situation. And, the strongest of these people never give up, they persevere no matter the obstacles they face. They see challenges and find ways to go around them or over them because they will not be deterred.

It never pays to believe all the hype

That is just as true today. The Unforeseen happens, things break, people are fallible.

My final thought

All the people on Titanic that night passengers and crew alike were brave and did the best they could with what they had. Each one had no assurance that they would survive. Many assumed such but there were no guarantees. I feel this sums up the biggest lesson we learn from Titanic.

I do have one book recommendation for you if you have no idea where to start reading about Titanic. You can't go wrong with Walter Lord's "A Night To Remember." It's a straight-forward survivor account of what happened on the night of April 14, 1912, when ship meets iceberg. The movie of the same name based on the book is also one of the best there is. My favorite documentary is A & E’s 1994 Titanic The Complete Story.

Here is the link to that 2-year-old post:

Lessons I Learned From The Titanic

I hope you have enjoyed this post. Please share it with anyone you feel would benefit. 

Reflect, Change, And Grow

Grow beyond your comfort zone

With a New Year just around the corner, many of you are forming plans for what you hope to achieve, and who you hope to become in the future. It’s important that before you finalize those plans, you have spent some time in reflection on this year’s accomplishments.

You will want to ask yourself these questions first. How have you have grown this year as a person and what did you contribute to the world? And lastly, did you bring your previous year’s plans to fruition or are you still the same person who had big dreams last December?

If you succeeded in your aims this year, then I am positive you know the amount of effort it will take to repeat it. If not, it’s time for you to move from your comfort zone because it’s not serving you. Make some scary changes, or just one, if more seems too overwhelming.

Here are some reasons to change:

1.     Growth takes change

Change is necessary for growth, in fact, growth is impossible without change! You can choose to stay safely in your familiar comfort zone, but if you do, you’ll be missing out on all life has to offer.

The challenge of a new job or moving to a different city might be uncomfortable, especially at first. But it’s guaranteed that change is likely to lead you down all sorts of unexpected paths, with rewards you could never have imagined, just waiting for you. Wouldn’t you rather be a butterfly than remain a caterpillar?

“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.”

— Margaret J. Wheatley

2.     Flexibility aids resilience

Change forces you to become more flexible. Faced with large unexpected changes, you learn to adapt and move with the flow. And once you’ve learned to roll with whatever the circumstances are, you begin to see the positives and rise to the challenges. Even something as negative as losing your job can open you up to new prospects and exciting opportunities, such as changing industries, furthering your education, or starting your own business.

3.     Focusing on your values creates change

There’s nothing quite like change either good or bad to make you focus on what’s genuinely important in your life. Negative changes like illness, divorce, or business reverses can help you recognize the importance of relationships, with family, and friends. Having to make tough decisions can sharpen your focus on what your ethical framework is, what you will and won’t stand for in your life.

4.     Small steps can accomplish big things

Not all changes are big or life-changing. Small incremental steps, made over time to your habits and routines, can add up to huge changes in the future. You might start getting off the bus one stop early and after a few months find yourself walking to the office every day.

Making small changes often has a snowball effect and before you know it you have accomplished that big, seemingly impossible task.

5.     Confident as you meet life’s challenges

You might be surprised to discover how strong you are. Your confidence will increase as you deal with life’s challenges and you’ll quickly learn what you can handle and what you can’t.

And as a bonus, change can make you a more compassionate and kinder person and give you more insight into other people’s circumstances and choices.

Learn to see change as an opportunity, not a threat, and you will live a much more fulfilled and exciting life.

I hope you find this post valuable and share it with your family and friends.

For further reading check out this post from a year ago.

Using Self-Reflection To Your Advantage