Change for yourself, not everyone else. `

Changes come as a part of life on a daily basis. There are changes all around us. We change our clothes, change our shoes, jewelry, hairstyle. Road work makes us change our route to work, school or to the store. We change radio stations and t.v. stations. Sometimes we are forced to make larger changes like employment, houses, cars, relationship status, etc. Sometimes changes are easy but sometimes making a decision to change can also be difficult. I have found in life that changes against our will is life's way of guiding us to where we need to be in life. Not many people know that I was once fired from a job. I was employed by a family member and due to family issues, this family member called me and told me not to come back. I was devastated. I wasn't devastated that I no longer had a job, but the fact that I was fired. I had never been fired before. I worried so much day and night about this going onto my work history. Every job that I had interviewed for, I was terrified that they would ask why I had left my previous job. Some asked, some didn't. I had worried myself to the point of sickness over this. I ended up being offered a position by a large, well known corporate company, who had offered me a substantial pay increase, an outstanding increase in vacation time, and the best medical insurance that I had ever had. I remember being on cloud 9. Within a matter of months of my hire date, my entire demeanor had changed. This was such a great turning point in my life for not only myself but my family as well. It was then that I realized that our most upsetting moments, could actually become a blessing in disguise. Sometimes people will set out to force a change on you, that you may not want. Obviously some changes are out of our control. For instance, the story about my change in employment. But sometimes there are people who will expect changes of you for their own personal gain, not yours. Everyone could benefit from some minor adjustments in life regardless of your situation. But that is only if the change is of your free will. If someone truly loves you, they will love you for who you are, not for what they want you to be. Your changes need to be from your heart and of your free will, not because they were forced on you. If your changes are not from your heart, I can guarantee you will not be happy in life. The change has to be from your soul and something that you are passionate about. Your true friends will support you and your family will still love you. We are all unique individuals and each of us has a reasoning to be here. Nobody should ever expect you to change. Each of us has the power to do amazing things in our lifetime. BUT, only if it is our passion and our own personal choice. If you change to please someone else, you alter the road that you are meant to be on. Let your life changes come from your heart. Or let the changes come from life guiding you. Sit back and listen to everything around you. Life has an amazing way of teaching us lessons if we listen closely and open ourselves up. But by changing yourself for someone else, you will not be able to listen to the lessons being taught. Be a strong individual who stands out. It may be difficult at first, I have definitely been there. I have lost A LOT of "friends" along the way. But, I have found some wonderful people that I not only call friends, but I call them my family. They support me in everything I do, they love me for WHO I AM. They do NOT expect me to change, the do NOT want me to change. Be who you are meant to be. Talk and act from your heart. BE YOU! You may surprise yourself at how amazing you can be, I know I did. "You are an amazing person, encourage your own personal changes, not everyone else's changes for you."