I remember hearing over and over again that people never change—not in the long run, anyway.

I remember thinking that I couldn’t change the things that I didn’t like or wanted to improve about myself.

And then I started to slowly change. I set up all sorts of goals big and small and I saw myself changing and transforming into the person I wanted to be rather than the person I had allowed myself to become by not paying enough attention.

As I improved and discovered more and more things about change, I also discovered what it takes to generate those changes over and over again:

1. Set a clear intention.

What do you want to change? Who do you want to become? Not who your family wants you to be or your friends or anyone else except you. Don’t get overwhelmed! Make it achievable for you—not easy, but believable.

If you don’t believe it’s possible then you will most likely get discouraged.

2. Focus on the action steps.

What do you need to do in order to achieve your intention? Setting action steps is about breaking down the big intention you set in number one into small goals for your everyday life. Remember that saying: “How do you eat an entire elephant?” “One bite at a time.”

Try taking a few bites of your elephant every day.

3. Give yourself a break.

Think about professional athletes. They work hard, they push themselves to the limit, but they also rest. Just as the physical body needs rest in order to become better—to push past the next hurdle—so does the emotional body. Don’t push yourself to the point where you start breaking down.

4. Celebrate victories.

You had a major success, go ahead and celebrate! You had a little one, go ahead and celebrate it too. One of the moments. Be happy and grateful for every step forward.

5. Listen for the quiet moments.

The action steps and the determination are great, but sometimes we get so carried away with the action that we forget to take a step back and look at the big picture or just listen to our heart. The quiet moments are the ones that give us access to the inspired action and to everything you need in order to find the best path to success.

Sometimes change is easy to spot—it’s grand like a volcano eruption or a wave crashing into the pier.

Other times it’s like the wind slowly shaping the mountains and we only see the transformation looking back, but change is always present.

Taking a step back and recognizing it, connecting the dots, looking back and aspiring for the future is what moves us towards a better self.

What step are you on in your journey to a better self?

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Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: Author’s Own