Helping Yourself: A Simple Guide 3

 

Annabel Shaw

Last Monday I talked about the importance of keeping things in perspective and also about whether you really were prepared for the changes you wanted to make. This week I want to talk a little more about the importance and effects of making changes in a life.

Filling in the gaps. As I mentioned last week, it’s important to consider what your new life will look like after you have dealt with those things in your current life which you wish to change. In doing this you will come to realise that some of your old habits will need to be replaced by new habits if you are to be successful. What, for example, are you going to do with the time you’ll save when you no longer have to deal with the problems that so beset you now? Filling in those gaps with positive behaviours will help support, in the long term, any changes you make now. In other words, you need to think about the positive aspects of change and make sure that you don’t fall into the trap of seeing only problems.

In Short: If you want to make changes in your life, you need to decide not only what to change, but also what to replace those changes with.

Be Open to Change. The notion that there is a perfect life just waiting for you to discover, once you’ve go over present difficulties, is nonsense. There is no such perfect life. Not for you and not for anyone. An interesting life, on the other hand, will be constantly interrupted with problems and difficulties that you’ll need to sort out or overcome. Being open to change will give you the necessary flexibility to deal with these problems, so don’t be afraid of change. Change can open up all sorts of interesting possibilities. Try to see change as a positive force and avoid seeing change as a necessary evil.

In Short: Don’t imagine there is such a thing as a trouble free life. You should expect to come across problems and difficulties throughout all your life. Keeping a flexible attitude towards any changes you may need to make, when dealing with these difficulties, will only help you in the long run.

Until next Monday

Annabel