Rules? What rules?

I realize I have a problem trying to get around or bend rules to make my life comfortable.

This is a habit.

A habit is defined in the dictionary as being a characteristic conditioning of mind or body, an act that is acquired and has become automatic. Certaintly, it would then follow that a condition of the mind could either be positive or negative in nature, depending upon the characteristic of the habit. Because I have formed a series of bad habits — habits that take away from the success I desire — in order to break the habit, I must replace it with a new one.

Every day I am faced with new activities and circumstances. Once a choice is made pertaining to new activities or circumstances, I file the information gathered regarding the choice process into my brain. When confronted by a similiar situation at a future date, I am faced with another choice — take the course of action used before or use a new one. I must learn to recognize whether the previous action was beneficial or whether, perhaps, a new course would be better.
When a solution has been used three or four times, the process has become conditioned and a habit has been formed.

I am where I am and I am what I am because I react to circumstances with habits that have been proven to be not the best solutions to my problems. I must be willing to discard a habit which does not contribute to my achieving success and replace it with one that does.

I must learn to recognize that in order to change my circumstance I must change my habits.

First, I have to look at my attitude. My attitude becomes a habit of acting, feeling or thinking which reflects my disposition or opinions. Acting or reacting about a topic is the result of my thinking process (the way I think about a certain situation). An attitude then must be a mental habit.
I form attitudes which have governed my life for so long.

Many of which that become part of my make up are not healthy, they do not contribute to my well being and should be changed. If attitude is a mental habit then it is a product of my brain. My brain is the only thing that I can control alone. So I am the only one that can control my attitude.

Changing my attitude is not easy but it can be done. It requires a want to change, a want that has taken 27 years to realize certain attitudes need to change.
To change them, I am trying to understand why I want those certain attitudes changed. One attitude inherent to me that I have recognized and is resistent to change is my "dont rock the boat" attitude.

This is caused by the fact that I fear the unknown and although things could be better, at least I know where I am now. I often fear entering into a situation that is unknown or unfamiliar. Then I resist any change because I do not have sufficient information to initiate change.

We are capable and intelligent beings, not simply creatures governed by conditioned reflex and instinct. I must strive to change unhealthy habits or negative attitudes, shut off the current and break through the wire fence of habits, attitudes and conditioning which prevent me from being more successful.

I have learned that when I try to do something I have never done before, no matter how it turns out, I am making progress. If I try and fail I have learned one of two things, either it cannot be done that way or with more effort and another approach it can be achieved.

I cannot let fear of making mistakes stop me from acting, for it is only through acting that I learn to achieve. I often complain of my circumstances and conditions and yet there is an abundance of material surrounding me that could be had for the taking if I just used my imagination and talent to better my conditions.
There are three kinds of people in this world.
The Doers: People who cause things to happen.
The Observers: People who watch the progress of others.
The Uninterested: People who aren’t even aware of what is really going on.
WHO ARE YOU?

Hardships and setbacks are often a source of opportunity if acted upon. In my experience, I see that when I act I will encounter many setbacks in life but if I react upon those setbacks they would prove to be an asset, as opposed to a liability. It requires no more effort to aim high than it does to aim low.
First, I expect that it is natural to be upset, angry, depressed or guilty.
WRONG!!!
Who says I can’t be happy?
On whose authority is such a premise made?
My life won’t be spent depressed and miserable anymore.
I was conditioned to believe that making changes to my personality and behavior patterns is a complicated, if not impossible, task. It is not hard, not difficult, not complicated to change my behavior.

I must cast aside any silly notion to the contrary. I was convinced that changing myself to be more successful and a happier individual will require not only a lot more effort but a long time as well.
Not true.
That habit can and will be broken — NOW.
All that is required is a firm persistent commitment to change. It is the external factors which surround me that make me what I am today.