Things Don't Change; We Do

Things do not change; we change.
--Henry David Thoreau

For a man who is in the coaching business, and is on the life journey I’m on, I find the title statement PROFOUND. Think on it and see if you can see the depth of the thought.
I spent a good portion of my life thinking I could change people, places and things. I learned the hard way that the world would run just fine without my direction, if my life were to improve; it was going to improve by my change within. I lived the true definition of insanity, repeating behaviors and expecting a different outcome. IT DID NOT WORK.
The quoted words are not mine and express a truth that I totally buy in to.
“The Universe by nature is loving and supportive. Successful people know how to tap this support by enlisting the cooperation of others in order to achieve their goals. They also know that to receive support, they must first support themselves.

An entrepreneur once told his fellow inventors, "Before others will believe in you, you must believe in yourself. Your faith in yourself will attract investment capital more than any business plan could."

Unfortunately, the people who need the most support often have the hardest time asking for it. Growing up in an environment where love was denied, they don't believe they deserve it. This is why it is important to affirm our basic worthiness.

People want to extend themselves to you; it feels good to give. Encourage them to do so by believing in yourself and reaching out for what you want. The Universe will reach back to take your hand. Believe in yourself and others will believe in you. It cannot be otherwise.”
These are the fundamentals I try to live by, use in the service work I love doing, and bring to my coaching practice.
I work in a service capacity with men in addiction recovery, not as a coach, but as a sponsor. I work with clients on goals setting, life restoration, self-motivation, accountability, life balance, and adjusting to a new country and cultural norms. I coach and bring out the talents my clients have, and help them see what it is they are really searching for and coach them to use their abilities to get their dreams.
In my addiction coaching work, I coach people through a process with goals in mind; goals that go beyond stopping an addiction or distancing from addictive people.
Change begins in all cases when we change how we look at and deal with our self. I learned the hard way, and am pleased that I have been used to help many others make the changes they need to make for themselves.
When I found out the positives that were within me (I easily knew the negatives) and focused on them, worked a process and changed, the world was a better place. The world did not change; I DID.
Are you ready to seek help and change? It takes real courage!!