Change - Have you ever dreamt of doing something different?

 Do you open your mind to new ideas? Do you fantasize about changing your lifestyle completely by doing a different job or taking up a different hobby or even travelling the world…..well you can and now’s the best time to do it!  (So they say). Mind you, for most of my life ‘change’ was just a 6 letter word!! Impossible  (or was it?)….but…….. it doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea.  

Apparently, instead of burying pictures, letters and other keepsakes to be discovered in the future – you can now send yourself an email  which will be delivered back to you in 5, 10 or 20 years!  I ask myself…..what would I expect to have ‘changed’ in all that time? I guess the worries that you have now will be long forgotten.

There are many reasons why people change their lives :

…….maybe by getting a new job : because if you have children, nursery fees are expensive and work hours are long…so you could set up a business working  from home to have more flexibility and friendlier hours. You may have been made redundant…but this could be a positive career move to make you look at ways to change your life.   

…….maybe you want to travel the world: To get away from a stressful time or relationship - you might want to prove something to yourself or simply see how others live in the world.

…….maybe your ‘change’ will be to write a book or a blog…….A blog can be a good business venture,  remember the film ‘Julie and Julia’.  Julia Child's story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell's 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in her first book. They are real-life women who never met.  Julia Child, a major figure in introducing French cuisine to the American middle classes, found late fame as a prolific author of cookery books (pioneer TV chef played by Meryl Streep).   Julie Powell found early, less enduring fame in her 30s by writing a blog as she cooked her way through Julia Child's most famous work, the 734 page ‘Mastering the Art of French Cookin’g. In 2005, this became the bestseller book ‘Julie & Julia’ and also made into a great movie!.

It’s all good stuff for changing things.  If you don’t have a clearly defined goal…..there are self- help books out there to help you decide how to change your life.  Change can be a frightening prospect and to be assertive in this present climate will be risky.  You might need some money to re-train or set up a business but it will be money well spent and in time, will give you satisfaction and flexibility to enjoy the lifestyle you want to pursue.   Change may mean you have to learn how to deal with people in your everyday life and manage personal relationships more effectively and successfully …….and………. ‘Change for change sake!’……….well let the Politicians and the Football Managers take care of that!!

The Change 4 Life Campaign that the Government is running is a good ‘change’ and one we all can follow…..if you log on to the ‘Change 4 Life’ website you will find easy steps  to make positive changes to your eating and exercise behaviour.  It helps you change your physical and eating habits by suggesting ways you can change your behaviour. For example: eating 5 fruits a day, exercising daily or healthy snacking.

So what are the comforts of Change?  Self- satisfaction?  A sense of well -being and contentment?  A new zest for life?  It could be any of these things but  ‘Time’ could be the most important factor of ‘change’ as it lets you contemplate and materialize your ideas.  

Remember…… “If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything.” …..and “If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun”.

NB: For those of you who hate change…….………the lyrics of Billy Joel song may ring true…….

“Don't go changing, to try and please me
You never let me down before
Don't imagine you're too familiar
And I don't see you anymore
I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble
We never could have come this far
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times
I'll take you just the way you are.”

Have a happy week...... and for my precious daughter……a long awaited operation on Wednesday which will change her life.... love you xxx

6/02/11