The season is changing, and maybe you need to make some changes too!

Do you believe that some people are just lucky and good things happen to them? It is a nice thought, but most people make their own luck through hard work and dedication to a cause. And the cause may be their own personal goals.

I find that every year I write down at least 5 goals that I want to accomplish. I try to make them very realistic. Reaching for the stars may be setting yourself up for failure.

You may need  to take a step-by-step strategy toward your dreams, maybe even baby steps!

Making those changes: Is it too stressful of a task?

For almost everyone, the time comes when change is a welcomed friend!

But we may  stress about it, and the stress related to thinking about change  may bring on even  more stress.

Even good stress is still stress!

The good, bad and ugly

When you  begin to focus on stress reduction~ remember that everything will change in your life.

Nothing in life stays the same, therefore, the good, bad and ugly shall pass.

We cannot stop it, so we have to learn how to live with the flow of everything that happens to us in the path through life.

What to do?

Before you attempt any newness in your life plan, plan out some positive activities that may help.

Examples include talking about your plans with a close friend, or trying some new stress reduction techniques out such as meditation or yoga before you lay out your plan to quit smoking! Learning how to get in touch with your breathing is also worth exploring. Beginning with breathing as a way to slow down everything including your pulse and blood pressure.

Try,  and then try again!

Even though the best plans may not succeed, do not set yourself up for failure.

There is research that confirms that it takes at least 3 months for a lasting change to happen and that goes for any change such as weight loss, smoking and drinking cessation.

Is 3 months too long  for you to wait?

Three months may seem like an eternity.

To ensure that your new goal has a chance, you may need to hold onto your dream and take the change slow along with trying out some stress reduction techniques.

When the dream becomes a reality, you will be very thankful that you  hung onto yourself for the long haul.