5 Rules For Making a Change Today!

I keep a Buddha piggy bank on my desk to have a place to put loose change in, but also to remind me every time I look at it that “change comes from within”. Silly, I know. But, self change is hard. Really, really hard. We all have things in our lives that we would like to change. For some it could be to become more motivated in their job search or careers, for others it can be as simple as making a stressful part of the day easier. No matter what it is that you are trying to change, it always has to come from inside, and it is always part of a process and not something you can do over night.

In a recent article at Psychology Today, listed rules for making a change, and I thought that they would be a good place to start.-

So, here are 5 Rules For Making A Change In Your Life:

• 
  
  Change is frightening- Anytime you decide to make a change in your life, no matter how small it is, there is always that voice in your head that tells you not to do it. That it won't work, why things are better the way they are. Letting go of a habit that has been a part of your life for a long time is scary. Don't let the fear get the better of you. Everyone resists change, so try to set a realistic goal and be prepared to work through the fear.
• 
  
  Change has to be positive- Unless you are changing something for yourself, it just wont work. Be sure that the change you are making is going to be a positive thing for you. Changing something to make someone else happy isn't a good enough reason, and you won't be able to stick to it. Don't beat yourself up about your lack of progress or not having reached a goal quickly enough. Enjoy the process and enjoy the results. If your goal is to get all the laundry done by a certain day, when you reach the goal, be sure to spend some time enjoying it. This will help your brain associate meeting the target with good feelings and will make it easier as you keep going.
• 
  
  Slower is better- You can't change the world in a day, so don't think that you can make a lasting change to your life over night. Change takes time, and setting small goals will keep you motivated and on the right track. Be sure to reward yourself for little accomplishments so that you won't get overwhelmed and give up.
• 
  
  Practice is necessary- Practice, practice, practice. Many experts say that it takes 30 days to turn a new routine into a habit. Keep practicing, even when you backslide or forget, just keep trying. Eventually, you won't even have to think about it anymore, the change will have become part of your new habits.
• 
  
  Small successes are big- Reward yourself at all points in the journey. Don't fall into the trap of punishing yourself for not achieving enough, because all improvements are big successes. Try breaking down your big goal into lots of smaller ones, so that as you move along the path, there are plenty of places to stop and pat yourself on the back.
  Making a change can be frightening, difficult and hard to maintain, but if you are persistent and keep at it, you will be able to make the new practice a habit.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Take a look at PhillyJobs.com!

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.