How to Make Changes

1. Change your perspective.
2. Don't quit.
3. Give yourself the credit you deserve.
4. Some suggestions to help you on your way.
5. Things are not helping you.

We can change our looks, our greetings, and even our beliefs; but it will still boil down to the same person, you. Yet you are able to change yourself. Really change yourself! It takes some work and may feel that it isn't worth the effort, but it is!

The first thing to do is to change your views on things. No matter what happens, there are always two sides to the story. And I have always believed that to trust the word of one without the other means you have only half the picture. Try seeing both for a rounded look at things. And never assume the side you hear is the only truth because everyone sees things differently. Their truth is what they believe; what they saw, heard, or felt. Someone else may see things differently, after watching the same event. That does not mean it is wrong, it means they have a different perspective from each other. Think positive.

How many times have you felt like saying that you are quitting? How many times have you wanted to quit fighting, struggling, going to work every day, trying to balance the budget, keeping the car on the road, keeping a warm roof over your head and the heads of your family, keeping food in the bellies of those who rely on you, and, well, the list is endless, right? So many times we wish we could take the easy road and live without worry. So many times we forget that there is really no such thing as living without worry. Even those with what you might think is a worry-free life, have their problems. Some of those problems could (and often do) drag them down to ruin with the drop of a dime. But, did they really reach utter ruin? These are what they may see or feel if they perceive it positively: "I can start over now"; "I now know which road not to take"; "I pushed too hard too fast"; or even "I can, and will, make it better".

I know, you are thinking they failed. Truthfully, the only failure is quitting. Keep trying, keep working, and keep it positive. Those will take you very far.

How do babies learn about their world? They touch and taste everything. They don't judge until they have a reasonable idea about things. That is how we should all be. Looking for the answer or the path. You are alive. You are smart. You are strong. You can definitely do anything if you want to do it. It only takes work. Taste, touch, and learn as you go (not literally, but figuratively). Take the step. If you fall, get up. The harder you have to work, the more you should be proud of your efforts. Give yourself a break. You are doing your best, and that is enough to keep trying.

• Finances are often the root of many issues, good and bad. To help fix your finances, you must make changes to how you live, and vice versa. Sounds easy, doesn't work that way. Change how I live and presto my finances are fixed. Sorry, life just doesn't work that way **sigh**. But changing how you spend your money can.
• Open your eyes to a different side of things. We see something and think it is good or bad. But try seeing it on the opposite side of things. A child getting removed from the public pool could seem to be mean, but what if the child is sensitive to the sun and can't be in it for long?
• Look into your mirror every morning and tell yourself today will be different! Today will be better! However, don't expect to tell yourself you are changing and it will be done the next day. The change will take time. In fact, you will be more in control of yourself than ever before. But not right away. At first, it will seem awkward and difficult. At first, it will seem silly for you to be doing this. But keep going.
• Don't get mad at yourself if you can't succeed right away. We all have setbacks. Seeing them as useful lessons rather than failures will help you stay strong and achieve your goals.
• There isn't a pill you can take to change. Nothing changes unless you make it happen. Pills and drinking (or anything else self-destructive) will not help. They will only take you to the very bottom and make it much harder for you to climb back up.

Things are nice but also counterproductive. Nice boats, fancy cars, fancy restaurants, an outfit for every occasion, a house bigger than Texas, a swimming pool that costs more to maintain than most people's homes; these things are nice to have, but be frugal now. Don't get caught in the 'keeping up with the Jones' hype. Getting the things you need and really want will bring you much more joy than a month floating on a boat that can cross the river quickly but not much else just because your neighbor has one. Yes, I am being sarcastic.

• Get the necessary things covered, then find things to purchase that everyone will enjoy all the time. It is so wasteful to get items that are used only once. If you absolutely must have an item, try getting it at a second-hand store, and then selling it when you are finished with it.
• Renting something is a great way to save money. Rather than buying a large item, rent it and then it goes back. You get savings on the purchase price and on space.
• Think about how much everyone else is spending for things they don't need. That gas guzzler probably runs your neighbor eighty dollars a week in gas alone. Their pool-water fall-jacuzzie in the back yard costs hundreds to maintain, and they are never in it.