1. Change should be realistic.
Don’t put up this massive and idealistic goal. We need to control our zeal and set realistic expectations for ourselves. Otherwise, we are setting ourselves up for future disappointments.
Think of something more realistic, more doable and the risk of burning out is minimized. At the same time, we don’t want to have too small of a goal either.
Don’t be afraid to go bigger, but not too big that it becomes overwhelming.
2. Change should be gradual.
Things don’t usually change overnight. So we should take it one step at a time. Keep it slow and steady; don’t rush things. Move at a pace most comfortable to you; not too fast and not too slow.
The people around you shouldn’t push you to change as soon as possible. They should just be there for you to support you along the process. They should not be the obstacle that stops a person from moving forward or the reason people become demotivated.
If anyone has the intention to change, then we should support it. The point is that the person wants to change and we should seize the opportunity to help the person moves forward, even if it is just one small step.
A small step forward is better than standing still.
3. Change is hard.
Change requires time, effort, sacrifice, patience, endurance, motivation, and all the other things that are hard to hear and even harder to do.
But, we all know better that we should be better. We should improve, even if we don’t want to – just because we don’t want it doesn’t mean that we don’t need it.
Thankfully, we are not alone. There is no rule that says that we have to face it alone. So grab a few friends who will support us all the way, through good times and bad times – especially during those bad times.
Change is hard, but that is not a good enough reason to avoid change.
4. Change is constant.
Things change all the time. Animals change, plants change, the weather changes – change is constant in life. Living things don’t stay the same. If they do, then they will most probably be dead.
Change is a process that is constantly happening and we will never be a finished product because there will always be something that we need to change about ourselves. We will always be a work in progress.
5. Change is a choice.
Change will not start by itself. We have to initiate it. We can’t wait for something extraordinary or something horrible to happen in order for us to start the change.
We can’t all wait for “the calling”, and we can’t outsource the responsibility of change to other people.
People can’t force us to change. People can’t change for us. It is our individual responsibility to change. We owe it to ourselves.
There is a verse in the Quran that says, “God will not change the condition of the people until they change what is in themselves.”
Change starts with us.
Many of us choose to procrastinate change and we say things like “someday I’ll change”, which is weird because we have only 7 days in a week.
Last time I checked, "someday" is not one of them.