The Courage to Change

People always say that history repeats itself. While that may be true, I think that when it comes to improving oneself, it doesn't have to.

That's because you are in charge of your future. And although it may take time to change imbedded habits and usual behavior, it can be changed.

Changing yourself doesn't necessarily require expensive books or tapes. It can come with deep thought, and by taking inventory about your life : who you are, what you want to do, what you are doing.

Once you can recognize what you want to change, half the battle is over. You won't need fancy ways to remind yourself of what needs to be done. Once you acknowledge it, you'll find yourself more naturally inclined to pick up on negative behavior when you're in the midst of it.

Of course those "fancy reminders" are great ways to keep yourself on top of your progress. Cut out some inspirational quotes, leave notes to yourself - you get the picture.

In order to change who you are, you must retrain your brain so that it responds differently to the environment you surround yourself with. If your environment is negative and contributing to the things about yourself that you don't like, you may want to change the environment you're in.

That's not always easy, so for those who can't jet off to "Positivity Island", make some changes where you are now. It can be the people you spend time with, or simply making your home look more cheerful, if, for example, you want to be a happier, more positive person. You may want to begin working out more, or spending more time with someone you admire. "Each day, make a conscious decision to make it a good day. Though you can't keep bad things and irritations from happening, you can choose how to react and interpret them. Choose to let the negative things slide," says Tara Kuther, Ph.D.

Personally, the best way I have discovered things about myself and changed things I didn't like was to journal. Journaling allowed me to explore my feelings and recognize negative behaviors that I wanted to improve. Once I could see them on paper, it made me recognize when I was in the midst of committing my "self improvement crimes." And then I could avoid them, or stop and think about how to deal with situations.

That way, I could identify times when I needed to remind myself that I wanted to change a certain habit or behavior. It worked for me!

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