Philosopher Heraclitus said, “The only constant in life is change.”  This fact about life on our planet can sometimes feel scary; things are always changing and nothing is ever certain or guaranteed.  Ironically, the only thing that is certain is that everything will change!  In order to be fearless in the face of change and uncertainty, it’s important to become comfortable with the understanding that everything in life is in a continuous state of change.  It is how we respond to and adapt to changes in our lives that can help us to learn and to grow.  Every single day that we are blessed to experience provides an opportunity to learn and to make a positive impact through every situation and every change that we’re faced with.

Feeling more comfortable with change and uncertainty can help you become more fearless and be more prepared for whatever life may bring your way.  This is due in large part because, once you’re comfortable with change, you’ll be less fearful of what’s coming next.  And when you get to the place where you are comfortable with the uncertainty, you are capable of reaching your fullest potential.

Here are 4 tips that can help you to welcome and embrace change rather than fearing it (or attempting to avoid it).

1) Live In The Present Moment

Whether we like to admit it or not, mostly everything in life is out of our control.  The only sense of “control” that we really have is how we think about, react to and respond to every moment in our life.  And to fully experience this moment, it’s important to remain fully present in it.  Remind yourself that the moment you’re currently experiencing is inevitably going to change (and end).  Being aware of this will help you to create an appreciation of fully living right now.  Every moment that we experience can teach us something valuable, if we’re paying close enough attention.   Having awareness for and being mindful of the now can allow us to more easily handle the changes that consistently occur in our lives.  Rather than spending time thinking or worrying about what’s next, practice being mindful about what is happening in this moment.  The next moment will come and things will be different, and you’ll handle that moment when it arrives.  (Worrying about the future doesn’t do any good, because we’re not there yet!)

Practicing meditation techniques can help you to remain focused on the moment and feel more prepared to “go with the flow” of change when it does arrive.  You can start by closing your eyes for a few moments and simply focus on your breathing.

2) Feel Excited about Change, Not Nervous

Change comes in many different forms.  Whether it’s a new experience, an unexpected event that occurs, or some sort of challenge that you’re facing, feelings of nervousness can come with any change that we’re faced with.  Often the subject of “change” is simply avoided entirely.  If you find yourself feeling nervous about change, make a decision to feel excited about it instead of feeling scared.  (Again, we have a certain degree of control over our thoughts about and how we respond to a situation.)  According to research, it can be beneficial to tell yourself that you’re excited rather than thinking that you’re nervous, because, physiologically speaking, the body responds similarly to feelings of nervousness and feelings of excitement.

A fantastic article published in “The Atlantic” discusses this topic.  An excerpt from the article reads: “…anxiety and excitement are both aroused emotions. In both, the heart beats faster, cortisol surges, and the body prepares for action. In other words, they’re ‘arousal congruent.’ The only difference is that excitement is a positive emotion‚ focused on all the ways something could go well.”

When dealing with a change in your life, there’s always a possibility for something good to happen, including during difficult times when a positive outcome is not entirely clear.  For example, if you’ve faced a change involving a loss, remaining focused on what has been gained from that loss – such as valuable lessons or priceless memories and experiences – can be very helpful.  Staying focused on the possibilities for something great to happen can help you to turn feelings of anxiety into feelings of excited motivation.

By choosing to feel excited rather than nervous you’ll be choosing to make the decision to be fearless.  While change is inevitable, we can change the way we think about uncertainty in order to feel less afraid.  Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “You’re only one thought away from changing your life.”

Decide to be excited, not afraid!

Nothing Will Change Unless YOU Change:

3) Trust Your Instincts

Change often includes having to make decisions and sometimes difficult ones.  Each and every time that you’re faced with a change in life, it is important to pay attention to your instincts and to how you feel.  Instincts rarely (if ever) let us down.

If you’re unsure of which path to take, for example, listen to what your heart is telling you.  When you pay attention to how you’re feeling, you’ll likely receive the answer that you’re seeking.

I was faced with this type of dilemma after college when I needed to decide whether or not to make a career path change from working in the surf industry to pursuing a career as an actor in Hollywood.  I felt lost and confused.  I was nervous about switching into a different industry, but I was also eager to pursue my passion.  Although it was scary to leave a more “stable” career path, I paid attention to how I was feeling at the time, and I went with what felt right.  Have faith in what you feel is right for you and go with it.  I write a lot more about this in my new book, An Aversion to the Definitive

4) Be Flexible

Flexibility is key.  Be willing and able to be flexible enough to go with the flow when faced with a change and enjoy the journey.    Motivational speaker T.D. Jakes said, “If you are flexible enough in life you can always keep moving forward.”  And in an incredible speech, he also said, “If you are not flexible and adjustable, you can’t survive.”  Evolutionary scientist Charles Darwin wrote, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.  It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

Learning to roll with the punches and being willing to be flexible to go along with changes in life will help to prepare you for whatever comes your way.

Life is unpredictable; everything and everyone in the world is in a constant state of change.  If you choose to flow with the river of change instead of trying to fight against it, you’ll likely find that you can tackle any challenge that comes your way.  You’re very strong; stronger than you may even realize.

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It is incredibly enlightening to fully appreciate and recognize that it is possible to achieve anything that you set your mind to.  Once you understand that you possess the capability of achieving whatever it is that you set out to do in life, you will undoubtedly feel more excited about the present time as well as feeling more motivated about attaining your goals in the future.  So, how can you learn to trust that everything is going to work out for you in life, and how can you begin to see all possibilities in life as being limitless?  It’s certainly not easy to remain focused or excited to keep moving forward when times are uncertain or difficult.  I believe that the key, my reader friends, has to do with being courageous, believing in yourself and being true to who you are.

Courage

Being courageous and brave is everything.  It is vital to have faith in yourself, to be true to yourself and to have the courage to do what it takes to achieve your goal.  This consists of having the courage to be completely honest with who you are and being strong enough to face your fears, anxieties and struggles head-on.

Pursuing your passions and being yourself requires a tremendous amount of inner strength, and it’s important to constantly recognize and appreciate the confidence that it takes to follow your heart and your dreams!  Often following your passion and doing what you feel is right for your life will involve going out on your own, being independent and standing strong in your choices.  Even when others may disagree with your decisions, if you feel that what you’re doing is right for your life, then it is important to stand firm in what you have chosen to do and who you have chosen to be.

As an individual who has been pursuing a dream and has been working in the entertainment business for several years now, I have learned what it takes to be strong even when it’s felt incredibly difficult to do so.  Having the courage to believe in myself through the good times and the bad times (there are constant ups and downs in this industry!) and having the fortitude to remain true to myself have been major factors in the successes that I have been fortunate to have seen so far in my life.  Overall, I have simply tried to be exactly who I am.  Living truthfully and fearlessly involves strength, vulnerability, uncertainty and honesty, which is not always been easy. Still, it’s certainly been worth it and all of the blessings that I have experienced so far in my life have evolved from making the decision to be courageous.

Becoming a More Courageous Individual

When you make a commitment to be true to yourself and to your dreams, the possibilities for your life truly are endless.  The first step in becoming a more courageous individual, I believe, is to take an honest look at who you are today and think about the person who you’d like to become tomorrow.  (We can all aim to be a better person than we were yesterday!)

Take some time to think about what it is that you believe will bring even more happiness to your life and tell yourself that it is absolutely possible to achieve anything!  Don’t doubt yourself.  As mentioned at the top of this article, the key is being courageous and being brave enough to try.  Earl Nightingale said, “We become what we think about.”  Think about what is possible for you and who can become and get out there to make all of your dreams your reality.

Do not hold yourself back, my friend.  You’re the only one who can stop yourself from reaching your highest potential, and it’s crucial that you don’t get in your own way.  We are all dealing with certain struggles, but you are a lot stronger than you might even realize.  And now, the beginning of this year, is the perfect time to let go of any doubt and begin to move forward through any struggles that you might be facing.  You’re strong enough to conquer any challenge if you’re not afraid to try.

You have much to offer this world.  Let go of any fears or worries and decide to make this year the one that will lead you on a path to your highest potential.  The reality is that you have nothing to lose, except for the negative thoughts that chain you down!

Henry David Thoreau said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life that you’ve imagined.”

Make a decision to be courageous and to live truthfully.  By doing so, you will begin to break free from fear and set yourself up to reach your full potential.

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Really, How Do You Define Success? Do you see yourself as being the successful individual that you are today?
Viewing yourself as a success is extremely important in order to reach your full potential in all areas of life.  You many notice that lots of wonderful advice and information is available which has to do with “how to become successful” in numerous areas of our lives – for example, how to become financially successful, or how to become successful with relationships, etc.  While learning about these ideas can certainly be helpful and insightful, it is equally important to recognize that success has much to do with an individual’s definition of it and an individual’s journey; it’s not simply a destination that we arrive at or something that we become.  True “success” involves enjoying your journey, day by day.  You are a success in your life today, and how you choose to view yourself and how you spend your time in this moment has everything to do with your being a successful person in the present as well as in the future.

I have outlined 3 areas here in this article to help to remind you to view yourself as a success, by focusing on and appreciating your individuality and the accomplishments that are a part of your life right now.  Doing so can help you to stay motivated to continue on your path of reaching your potential as the successful person that you are!

1) Appreciate Your Individuality

You are totally unique.  Individuality is the only thing that sets us apart from everyone else, in all careers and in all areas of life.  Personally speaking, after working as an actor and a writer for over 7 years here in Hollywood, California, the absolute most important lesson that I have learned about being successful is to embrace my individuality and be true to myself.  (No one – regardless of how good of an actor he or she is – can be a better version of me than me!)

No matter what field you work in, it is crucial to remember that there is only one of you out there!  No one possesses the same gifts, the same visions and the same dreams as you do.  Having the courage to simply be who you are, be true to yourself and to pursue your passions and dreams is a massive success in itself.  Celebrate these successes, and appreciate the awesome qualities that make you – you!

By recognizing and appreciating your individuality, you will build your self confidence.  If you are confident in who you are and in your dreams, anything is possible.

2) Be Grateful for What You Have

Your success has everything to do with how you personally define it according to your standards, not someone else’s.  In conjunction with embracing individuality and viewing yourself as a success, it’s also important to remember to try to not measure or compare your own success according to other people’s lives.  Now this can obviously be challenging, especially when you may see other people achieving certain successes in careers or relationships that you would also like to achieve.

Yet, again, there is only one of you.  It is not necessary for you to compare your success to anyone else’s.   What you have to offer our world is uniquely yours.

Rather than wasting precious time and energy focusing on what other people are achieving or what they have and what you do not currently have, shift your focus onto what you are currently achieving in your life and appreciate all of the blessings that you have.  (There is so much to be thankful for!)

Aim to be grateful for all successes in your life – big and small.  Be grateful for simply having the opportunity to strive to be the best version of yourself that you can be, and understand how much of a positive impact you can make (and are currently making!) on the world.  The work of motivational writer and speaker Dr. Wayne Dyer often explores the topic of gratitude, and Dr. Dyer sums this idea up beautifully:

“Be in a state of gratitude for everything that shows up in your life. Be thankful for the storms as well as the smooth sailing. What is the lesson or gift in what you are experiencing right now? Find your joy not in what’s missing in your life but in how you can serve.”  – Dr. Wayne Dyer.

3) Be Good To Yourself

Finally, remind yourself that you’re doing a great job!  Life comes with many “ups” and “downs” and some days are harder than others.  In order to make it through the roller coaster of life, aim to treat yourself in the same manner as you would treat a friend.

Check in with yourself and encourage yourself to keep moving in the direction of your dreams.  If you are going through a tough time today, for example, don’t make things more difficult by being hard on yourself.  Take everything one step at a time and treat yourself with kindness.

We are all a work in progress, and it’s important to strive to be the best that each one of us can be. 
But in the meantime, recognize that if you are doing the best that you can do every single day, then you’re already extremely successful!

Let us know: How Do You Define Success?

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