Look, it’s hard. “Easier said than done”, right? Turns out that we as humans stink at change!

Sure, we all want to change something. Most likely that you have a bad habit or 20 that you’ve tried to get rid of: exceeding your budget very month, overeating, saying negative things about others … We want to read more, accomplish one kind act per day, or lose 10 kilos; yet, we tend not to follow through… or follow through for one or two days and then quit! Yes, getting from here to there seems like such a bore.

Well, thing is, when you consider that only 20% of dieters sustain a 10% weight loss for more than a year, or the fact that a mere 8% of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions; yeah, change is hard!

But, here’s the good news: it’s doable. Change, actually, is part of human nature. There’s an unwritten rule of life that states “the only constant is change.” In simple terms: nothing will ever stay the same, but it’s ultimately up to you which direction your life will take when these inevitable changes approach.

Change can be intimidating, even when it’s good. So, shed some light on it; there has to be a moment where you have to take a long hard look at the truth and contend with the fact that it is no longer acceptable.

Make a clean getaway with these soul-saving strategies:

Face your demons. None of us can fight off phantoms. Ask honest feedback from those you love. You need to hear the truth from someone you can trust if you’re stuck trying to resolve problems with finances, health, relationships or other areas. Make them real, take responsibility and then kick their ass.

Have a vision of who you want to be.

Expand your Buddy base. Branch out and make new friends. Find things that you enjoy that you don’t get to do with your current posse. Surround yourself with positive like-minded people. People who you spend time with affect your habits. A Harvard study found that those who have at least one obese friend have a 57% greater chance of being obese themselves.

Take baby steps. Don’t believe that just because everything hasn’t changed, nothing has changed. Improvement is a growth process; even moderate change can reap meaningful benefits.

Do things outside your comfort zone. Our comfort zone may be pleasant, but it doesn’t challenge us and it doesn’t make us strong.

Distinguish between your flaws and your imperfections. Work on the flaws and love the imperfections.

Let anger thaw. When you hold a grudge, you are the one carrying the weight.

Recognise negative thoughts for what they are, simply thoughts.

Enjoy the present. Be mindful; every moment has something to offer. Make sure to have fun every day.

Be grateful for what you already have. If you’re not grateful, you’ll never be satisfied, no matter how many goals you accomplish.

Laugh and love in excess. With very rare exception, there’s no such thing as too much love or too much laughter.

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” – Gail Sheehy.

The fact that you aren’t where you want to be should be enough motivation. Remember, your tomorrows don’t have to look like your yesterdays.

Life is waiting to present you with countless possibilities, if that is what you want.

Source: timemanagementninja.com, blog.bradlygauthier.com, www.mindbodygreen.com, www.lifeoptimizer.org, www.telegraph.co.uk, thoughtcatalog.com, www.beautyandtips.com, psychcentral.com, www.huffingtonpost.com, www.vibeshifting.com, projectlifemastery.com, www.success.com