Change is the hardest thing to do. We like our lives the way they are thank you very much! But really, do we? Probably not. Otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this.

Change requires you to have an open mind and an open heart.

If your mind and heart are already open, you may just need practice at making changes. It takes some thinking outside the box to change. It really does. Thinking outside the box involves turning ideas on their heads. It involves asking “What if?” It means you have to realize that you are probably insane.

Now wait a minute, Fric! Aren’t you getting a little PERSONAL!?

Well, OK, not clinically. We know that insanity can be defined as doing the same things over and over while expecting different results. How long have you been driving to work on your current route? When was the last time you turned off the TV or the Internet for an entire day? When was the last time you went to eat at a new restaurant?

Doing things differently helps get your mind open. When you do the thing EVERY SINGLE DAY, you don’t take much notice of the things around you. Have you totally zoned out on your drive home? You went on autopilot and didn’t come out of it until you pulled in the driveway. And for the life of you, you cannot remember anything about the trip.

To change we need to get out of our daily routines. Let’s open our minds up a little bit here and there. Observe what goes on around you. Here’s an exercise to try.

  1. Take a different route on the drive home this week. Do a different one each day if possible. It doesn’t have to be totally different and you don’t have to go out your way to do it. Just different.
  2. Stay off the Internet or the TV this week. I CHALLENGE you to do it! I understand this may be difficult. So, at the minimum, I want you to stay off all day for 2 days. They can be consecutive or non-consecutive. You need to ignore it TOTALLY. I suggest a Saturday or a Sunday for one of the days.
  3. Get up a half hour earlier than normal. It may mean going to bed earlier. It may mean not hitting the snooze alarm 12 times. It may mean more than you can realize just yet. Read for at least 15 minutes in a self-development book or whatever your favorite non-fiction book may be. For the other 15 minutes, plan your day. Make a list of things you need to at work and at home. Prioritize them and do them. Follow this for the entire week and see the difference!

So what does all that have to do with having an open mind and an open heart?

EVERYTHING! You can’t do those little things that can turn into big things with a closed mind and a closed heart.