I have been looking back (reflecting) on my life over the past couple of weeks. Perhaps this coincides nicely with the New Year. I did a little compare and contrast and this is what I discovered.

Until my early thirties my life was very scattered. I changed jobs, boyfriends and living quarters frequently. I felt very unsettled and kept looking for happiness \\\"out there\\\".

My story was one of disappointment, fear and self-loathing. I didn\\\'t like who I was, what I had and had not accomplished, and where my life was going (mainly in circles). The story of my life was regrettable, and so I set out to change it.

I stopped hanging out with people who complained, blamed and criticized others, and started hanging out with people who were positive, supportive and upbeat. I stopped watching the nightly news and inundated myself with spiritual literature and positive thought messages.

I went back to college, completed my bachelor\\\'s degree in business, paid off twenty thousand dollars worth of debt, and vowed to find happiness within myself instead of outside of myself. Although my story didn\\\'t change overnight (it took years) it certainly changed for the better.

Of all the people who have inspired me over the years, the common theme that runs through all of their lives was a willingness and earnest desire to change their story.

If anyone else has made the decision to change their story, I\\\'d love to hear about it.

It's hard to do it all alone.

For me 12 Step programs helped me to change my story, in those programs they say "stick with the winners" (the idea being you stay close to the people who have a positive, or at least constructive focus).

(01-11-2010 06:12 PM)SoulfulGirl Wrote:  I have been looking back (reflecting) on my life over the past couple of weeks. Perhaps this coincides nicely with the New Year. I did a little compare and contrast and this is what I discovered.

Until my early thirties my life was very scattered. I changed jobs, boyfriends and living quarters frequently. I felt very unsettled and kept looking for happiness \\\"out there\\\".

My story was one of disappointment, fear and self-loathing. I didn\\\'t like who I was, what I had and had not accomplished, and where my life was going (mainly in circles). The story of my life was regrettable, and so I set out to change it.

I stopped hanging out with people who complained, blamed and criticized others, and started hanging out with people who were positive, supportive and upbeat. I stopped watching the nightly news and inundated myself with spiritual literature and positive thought messages.

I went back to college, completed my bachelor\\\'s degree in business, paid off twenty thousand dollars worth of debt, and vowed to find happiness within myself instead of outside of myself. Although my story didn\\\'t change overnight (it took years) it certainly changed for the better.

Of all the people who have inspired me over the years, the common theme that runs through all of their lives was a willingness and earnest desire to change their story.

If anyone else has made the decision to change their story, I\\\'d love to hear about it.

That's an inspiring true story, soulful girl. I bet many desire the positive kind of change like you did with your life. Especially the part wherein you changed and found different people you get to hang out with, that's a major struggle with lots of people and congratulations for that!

It really takes a lot of patience and the will to do it. I was also depressed a lot about my loan and inability to pay them back in time but one of my friend helped me cope up with my emotional balances as she was too optimistic about her life and may be that part of positive energy also came into me and I worked hard to get into track, still left but now I manage my debt more efficiently and in time.

We have the authority and of course God gives us chances to change the story of our lives from worst to make it worth living.