Who Moved My Cheese?!?

Recently I re-read the book Who Moved My Cheese. It is a short and cute little story that teaches a simple, yet valuable, lesson about letting go of fear, and embracing change in both your career/ business life and your personal life. It was all the rage a few years ago, and I find myself going back to it about every year or so.

It is so interesting to think about how often the biggest obstacle standing in our way is our own fears, and how we perceive and deal with change and things we are not so comfortable with. Fear of failure, of being alone, of disappointing others etc., can inhibit our personal success and stand in the way of our happiness and success.

The most wonderful thing about this predicament is that the solution lies in our own hands, as it is all a matter of perception, and that is something we can train ourselves to alter. By no means is this easy, but it all begins with a wonderful thing called reflection. Reflecting makes us aware of how we actually spend our days vs. how we WISH to spend our days, and enables us to figure out what exactly stands in the way of our own happiness and personal growth. I find that these 2 things are very related, as personal growth often leads to > happiness. The next part is figuring out what steps we can take, which although it may make us feel uncomfortable, push us to improve and reach our goals. For me personally, I  consciously force myself to do things I really do not want to do and doubt I will be good at anyways. It never ends up being as scary as I thought it would be, and the best thing is surprising yourself and learning that YOU CAN DO IT, and that the perceived fear was WAY worse than the reality anyways. So, reflection > plan of action > taking teeny risks that force us outside of our comfort zone >change! Make it happen. Take control of your life and your happiness. Because really, think of all the amazing things you would do if you weren't afraid!

                                      

(And if you ever need some encouragement, this image is sure to provide some bright sunshiney inspiration.)

Source for 2nd photo unknown - it was sent to me from a friend and is now the background on my phone :)