New Beginnings means Change, By Kathryne Kennedy

As a writer, I deal with change in my stories all of the time. Usually, my hero and heroine are not right for each other at the beginning of a book. They need to change in order to earn their happily-ever-after. But change is difficult, so I have to force them to do so by putting them into difficult situations that will challenge them emotionally—and since I write adventurous fantasy—physically, as well.

But I’m pulling all of the strings. In order to have a new beginning, there must be change, and in real life, that’s the toughest thing to do.

First, there has to be a realization for the need to change…sometimes just recognizing the need will take you halfway there. There’s an old adage that I love: You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results.

So. Am I happy? Is my life taking the direction I want it to? Now, realistically, no one can be happy one-hundred-percent of the time. But people should be happy most of the time…life is just too short. So if I’m not as happy as I want to be, maybe it’s time for a change this year. For most people, it’s not so much the situation that causes unhappiness, but the people that surround them. They impact your mental and emotional state. If I take a look at those people closest to me I have to ask: Do they make me feel good about myself? Do they help me to see the positives in my life? If not, maybe it’s time for a change.

In my books, I often force my protagonists to see those around them in a new light, and the changes they make are often leaps. But this is so hard, especially when I may not have a choice about who surrounds me. So it’s often easier to make little changes at a time. Perhaps I need to spend a little less time with anyone who’s a negative influence on my life. And by paying less attention to what they say to me.

It’s also easy to get stuck in a routine. Sometimes what you know is preferable to the fear of the unknown. But I can seek out new situations and people who do make me feel good, and slowly include them in my circle. I can be alert to new opportunities. It’s surprising how easy it is to find them by just being open to them. I can start small. Decide on one person or situation in my life to change, and then take baby steps to make it happen. It will empower me with a sense of control that will help me to make even more changes.

And then I’ll be on the road to my own happily-ever-after.

Until Next Time,

Kathryne

This post is dedicated to my niece, and anyone seeking a new beginning this year.