#i would NOT recommend going into debt 4 a master’s degree. generally speaking…

[rollercoasterwords]

hihi i was wondering what you’re studying in grad school? i’m debating going LOL

i’m currently in a master’s program 4 a gender studies degree! my experience has been. pretty good so far but if ur located in the u.s. my honest advice is don’t go 2 grad school unless u can get it fully funded…or unless ur rich enough 2 just eat the cost of paying 4 a program in which case u can probably do whatever u want lol

[billiejs]

Thank you @ebi-pers and @itsjacobperalta for always tagging me in these fun games! 

1. what do you prefer to be called name wise?

Ari (short for Arianna)

2. when is your birthday?

April 3rd. Also you didn’t ask but I’ll have you know I’m an Aries, Moon in Taurus, with Gemini Rising.

3. where do you live?

In beautiful Bologna, Italy 

4. three things you are doing right now?

Listening to the Spotify playlist “all out of ‘00s’ and feeling old, mentally plotting a fanfiction, cuddling my dog

5. four fandoms that have piqued your interest right now?

Definitely HSMTMTS, but also Percy Jackson, Nancy Drew and the Ice Skating fandom, if it can be called that. Obssesed with all things Virtue/Moir

6. how’s the pandemic treating you?

To be honest I kind of enjoyed the alone time, because I like speinding time by myself and I’m always unconfortable about telling my friends I don’t feel like hanging out, social pressure, yadda yadda. But I also missed my friends a lot, cried when I turned 25 in videochat with my friends, and also became unemployed and in debt with the bank. So yeah. 

7. a song you can’t stop listening to right now?

I’m in a classic rock phase and I’ve been listening to Come as you are by Nirvana, Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits, and You shook me all night long by AC/DC on replay. But also Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift and Big Girls Don’t Cry by Fergie.

8. recommend a movie?

I never watch movies LOL but The Devil Wears Prada is a fucking masterpiece and I know it by heart both in Italian and in English. I also recommend Pride and Bohemian Rhapsody.

9. how old are you?

25, I’m a 90s bitch

10. school, university, occupation or other?

Just finished a Masters Degree in Digital Marketing, currently unemployed thanks to COVID :)

11. do you prefer hot or cold?

Definitely hot

12. name one thing that others may not know about you

I’m generally pretty open, so there’s not much I keep to myself. I guess not everyone knows I trained in Kung Fu for five years in high school and that I speak a little Chinese, some French and decent Spanish along with English and of course Italian.

13. are you shy?

No, but I’m not at ease in big groups and I don’t like starting conversations. 

14. do you have preferred pronouns?

She/her

15. any pet peeves?

Spotify’s ads about listening to music without interruptions if you pay the PRO service, people who tell me what to do, having to argue with men about feminism, people who don’t return books I lend them (I only lend books to people so I don’t look like a complete psycho, but I HATE DOING IT).

16. what are you hobbies?

Just the usual reading, writing, and summoning the dead

17. rate your life on a scale of 1-10, ten being the best and one being the worst

Just the fact that I can spend my time writing this stuff on a computer from the comfort of my own home means that my life is probably a 9.5, compared to everyone else on the planet. But if we only take into account people who were luck enough to be born a first world country and have regular access to Internet and basic needs, then I guess I’d say a solid 7. It would go up to 8.5 if I got a job soon, though.

18. what’s your main blog?

This! Funny story: I never changed the username since I first joined in... 2012 I think?

19. list your side blogs and what they’re used for

I have one @thekeyoffailure​ that I used for fanfiction in 2016.

20. is there anything people need to know about you before they become your friend?

Don’t ask me to lend you books. Please. Ask me book suggestions, ask me to take you book shopping, but DON’T ask me to lend you my books. It feels like you’re asking me to lend you a kidney. Also be prepared for when I ask you to take the Hogwarts Houses sorting test and your birthday and birthplace to check your natal chart. 

This was super fun! I’m tagging @youareintroublenow @brunettepenguin @mrsphantamore

[transjoyblog]

6 Personal Values That Will Hurt Your Business

Photo by Ava Sol on Unsplash

Everyone has their own set of personal values by which they live their life. These can be consciously chosen, or be created by default. Usually, everyone has some combination of chosen, and default values and beliefs, but no matter how you came to them, every single one of your values should be examined and judged as to how it supports your goals, or wellbeing. Anyone who has adopted this practice of active self-reflection has found some values to be incongruous with living well. The same is true for building a business. There are simply some values that will get in the way of building a lasting, stable business, that works for both you and your employees. That is not to say that one cannot make money if you have any of these values. In fact, capitalism can bring some of the following values out in even the best of us, which is why you should be aware of these values and how to avoid relying on them.

1. You put yourself first. Either the customer or your employees or (ideally) both must come first when seeking to get value out of a business i.e. paying yourself for the time and effort you put into the business. I mean this in both the abstract and very real legal sense of the word. When a business is having cash flow issues, you are still legally obligated to pay your employees on time. If you do not you are in violation of federal law, and probably whatever state law governs your business practices. This is the basic order of operations to use when thinking about how your business provides value. You are always last. Even when filing Chapter 7 liquidation, secured debt (debt backed by collateral) is given the highest priority when paying back creditors, followed closely by pay owed to employees.

How to Avoid This:

Make a list of values that you would like your business to embody. Refer to this when you need some clarity on a big, values driven decision i.e. What is the business' family leave policy?

Keep your eye on the ball - why are you doing business? The answer should be to provide something of value to others, and making money should be side effect of a great product or service.

2. You shirk responsibility in the face of tough decisions. You may feel that you are happy to accept a leadership position, and would gladly take on everything that comes with that. But have you ever had to make the decision to fire someone? And I don't mean someone who is incompetent or otherwise underperforming. Have you ever had to fire a loyal, high performing person with whom you have worked very closely to build something in which you both believe? This is a situation in which you may find yourself, and you would do well to prepare for this possibility. I suggest reading The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz to learn more about the tough spots in which you could find yourself should the business grow beyond just yourself.

How to Avoid This:

Consciously start choosing to cultivate decisiveness. If someone asks what you would like for dinner, provide a real answer, instead of a middling, "I'm good with whatever anyone else wants". When asked your opinion, give it, thoughtfully, and only when asked. There are a ton of other ways to improve your decision making skills, most of which are probably just a Google search away.

3. You tend to be suspicious in the face of ambiguity, you rarely give the benefit of the doubt or worse, you tend to fall for the logical fallacy called argument from ignorance. This is a false dichotomy fallacy that asserts that a proposition is true because it has not yet been proven false or a proposition is false because it has not yet been proven true. For example, I once had a boss think that our dishwasher was lying about having to leave early from work. He claimed that he had to get a court mandated drug test at a facility just down the road from our work. My boss supposed that because he could be lying, and she did not have positive proof that he was being honest, he must be trying to get off early, at least sometimes. Please don't do this. This guy was being completely honest. I had to pass the route he took to this facility in order to make my way home, and I almost always saw him on his way to where he said he was going.

How to Avoid This:

Educate yourself on the principals of logical fallacy, and proper argumentative techniques. One of the best books I have ever read on this subject was actually a textbook in my college speech class. It was Thank You for Arguing by Jay Heinrichs. I also recommend you educate yourself on proper research techniques, and how to discern a reliable source of information, from an unreliable one. Training yourself on generally accepted information sourcing techniques is invaluable and can help you with everything from politics to your personal relationships.

4. You believe learning is finite and time bound. I once heard someone proudly announce that they didn't read books anymore because they had received their Master's degree, and therefore had done all the reading they needed to do. This may be an extreme example, but a lot of people do not truly value learning as much as they value credentialing, or "education". Businesses must learn to survive. Actively learn. Meaning, leaders need to propose hypotheses, run experiments, collect data, and analyze this data to reach a conclusion on the hypothesis. That is the only way a business can continue to grow and thrive in the current business climate.

How to Avoid This:

You can read The Lean Startup by Eric Reis for more information on the role that learning plays in the success of a business. Study the theories proposed in this book, and use them to inform your own company culture.

You can make learning a priority in your life. Not just as another thing to check off your to-do list. Keep up on your reading, even if you only like reading so-called "trashy" fiction. Reading is reading, and there have been some studies that support the idea that reading fiction can help us improve our ability to "walk a mile in someone else's shoes".

5. You're racist, sexist, or otherwise discriminatory or prejudiced. This includes things like having a preference for hiring a certain type of person for specific roles in the organization. You may catch yourself or others saying things like "I agree that she may be a good fit, but she is so young," or, "He should be applying for something in the back, we can't have men running the register." The latter was a common refrain in certain parts of the food service industry for a long time.

Also be sure to look out for the ways in which you judge others' appearances. I recently listened to episode 433 of the Smart Passive Income Podcast, entitled "Black Entrepreneurs Speak Out, Volume 2". In this episode we hear from James Shannon, who tells us about a time that he was told not to wear a hoodie to work because he "looked like a thug." This is explicitly racist behavior. It is the kind of behavior that is so hard to call out when you are on the receiving end, because it is so easy to argue against, especially when the person committing this offense is in a position of authority over you and your livelihood. Get the full story by listening to the podcast, it is definitely worth your time.

How to Avoid This:

We all have an obligation to educate ourselves on the reality of others. By this I mean, each and every one of us have a societal obligation to "walk a mile" in as many types of shoes as we can. While you may (hypothetically) be a cisgender, heterosexual, Hispanic man, plenty of people are not. And understanding the struggles, traditions, problems, and joys of people who are not similar to you will help you develop an understanding of how you, and your decisions fit within "the larger picture" of society. This understanding can help you connect with anyone better, as people will respond to those who make a genuine effort to understand and respect their experience. If you're working on your reading habit, be sure to read books by people who encourage critical thinking, respect for others, and offer new perspectives on large issues, such as How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, or Histories of the Transgender Child by Jules Gill-Peterson.

6. You lie. Whether it is a simple habit of hyperbolic gossip, or outright deception there is no place for dishonesty at work. The tendency to lie is a human one, and I do believe that there is some place for small lies that have become a part of polite American small talk i.e. answering "I'm just fine." when someone asks how you're doing because you don't feel like explaining that you had a terrible fight with your wife that morning and you, in fact, feel like a dumpster fire. What I mean by lying is any form of knowing misrepresentation, deception, or fraud. This is not only damaging to your reputation, this habit can get you into serious legal trouble. Fraud is a serious charge that could land you in federal prison depending on the nature of your lies.

How To Avoid This:

Value honesty and plainness of speech. I try to refrain from using technical language as best I can, so as to retain the utmost clarity when making a point. You may feel like everyone is inflating themselves, and you have to do the same to compete. Do not do this. Openness and honesty will open more doors than it will close, and the doors it does close may very well be worth closing.

Wrapping it all up

If you find that you have given into any of these default values, you're not alone. I have been guilty of all of these to some degree, but the important thing is to identify these influences, and work to understand the pressure they exert over your decisions. You can change the things that you value for the better, and improve your business as a consequence of your pursuit.

There is also so much more you can do to actually affect change within society as a whole. Even if you are like myself, and can't even attend a protest, let alone help organize one, there are still ways in which you can help. I am looking into opportunities to lend some data entry assistance to my County's COVID-19 vaccine administration sites. We can all step up, and do what we can, with what we have, where we are!

What are some other values and beliefs that hinder businesses and their owners' success? I am always interested in expanding my perspective, so let me know in the comments!

[ronnykblair]

What to Expect in Restructuring at a Big 4 Firm in Italy: The Best Place for Turnarounds?

“Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

It’s a famous quote, but it doesn’t just apply to geopolitics or government policy.

A crisis can be the best thing for your career as well – if you use it the right way.

Our reader today found this out firsthand when he became obsessed with investment banking at a large bank… just as a financial crisis or two struck his country (Italy).

But he didn’t let the crisis go to waste.

He used it to win an offer in a Restructuring team at a Big 4 firm instead, which came with a lot of advantages:

Crisis Management 101: Turning IB Experience into a Restructuring Role

Q: Can you walk us through your story?

A: I attended a top university in Italy for my undergraduate and graduate degree, or a “3 + 2 degree,” as it’s known here.

In continental Europe, you’re expected to complete an undergraduate degree (3 years) followed directly by a Master’s degree (2 years); if you don’t do that, you can’t apply for certain jobs, and your salary will be lower.

I graduated with good, but not spectacular, grades, and did a credit-related internship, followed by an internship at a boutique investment bank in Rome.

I won interviews for that role through alumni networking, and the entire process finished up within a week.

I completed a 6-month internship there – as in countries such as France, extended internships are common in Italy – and then won a full-time role.

The job was fine, but I wanted to work at a larger bank, so I applied to a graduate role at a bulge-bracket bank in Milan and won an internship there.

I performed well, but the economy was going through a downturn, and my group had a lot of office politics, so they reduced the number of slots and ended up picking a different intern for the one full-time role.

But I had stayed in touch with my colleagues from the boutique bank, and a former Director there contacted me to explain that he would be starting a new Restructuring practice at a Big 4 firm – because of the downturn – and asked if I wanted to join.

I said, “Yes,” and I’ve been there ever since.

Q: Staying in touch pays off!

Were there any big differences in the IB recruiting process in Italy compared with the process in the U.K. or U.S.?

A: Not really; you still start with short HR interviews, you do technical rounds with Associates or hiring managers, and then you do final rounds with Directors/Principals and MDs.

You might interview with only one person if it’s a boutique firm, or, at a large bank, you might meet everyone on the team and speak with 2-3 MDs for a group interview.

Larger banks may also conduct assessment centers, which are similar to the ones in the U.K. you’ve described before.

One difference is that it’s very common to hire 3 + 2 graduates rather than students who completed only the standard undergraduate degree.

Your school name is very important, though not to the degree it is in, say, France; that’s mostly because alumni from the same universities tend to cluster together at the same banks.

As in other regions, firms expect interns to know the job already and to complete tasks independently, so you need prior banking or corporate finance internships.

The Italian Job: Restructuring

Q: Thanks for that summary.

What’s an average day in the Restructuring team like?

A: There is no “average day” because it depends on the deals we’re working on, their current status (e.g., fieldwork, negotiations, updates, fine-tuning, or closing), and whether I’m in the office or traveling.

On average, an Engagement Manager works on 3-5 deals at once.

Our team has two Engagement Managers and one Assistant Manager, and the Assistant Manager leads one smaller transaction independently and works with the Engagement Managers on bigger deals.

Our counterparts – clients, bankers, lawyers, and other professionals – dictate the pace of the day, so we’re often in “reactive mood.”

Sometimes I’ll be working on Excel for one deal, and then two lawyers involved with another transaction will contact me and ask for urgent information, so I’ll have to drop my task and respond.

I spend around 50% of my time building models and valuations in Excel, 25% preparing presentations, and 25% attending meetings with clients.

I spend that much time in Excel because I’m only involved in pure financial advisory engagements: I don’t do financial due diligence (FDD), operational restructuring, or independent business reviews (IBR).

However, these tasks vary from office to office: Rome, Milan, and Bologna all do things a bit differently, and some focus more heavily on FDD or IBR.

If the team members come from IB backgrounds, the group tends to focus on financial advisory. Overall, FDD and IBR are more common in other locations and at other firms.

The best part of the job is that you get client exposure to top executives from day one, unlike at a large bank.

Each deal requires collaboration with professionals in different fields, so you build a wide network as well.

The worst part is that your work depends on the inputs and constraints set by your counterparts, so you often tweak models and update assumptions thousands of times because people keep making different requests.

Also, the timing is tough because the entire process can speed up or slow down depending on others.

Q: Which types of Restructuring deals (debtor vs. creditor) do you focus on, and are there any regional differences in Italy?

A: Almost 95% of my deals are debtor-side financial advisory assignments, i.e. advising the management team of a distressed company, not its creditors, on the company’s best options.

I prefer working on debtor assignments because the work is more interesting and complex, and you get to learn about a company’s operations in more depth.

Also, you spend more time “triangulating” between the debtors and creditors to compromise.

Both out-of-court and in-court assignments (similar to Chapter 11 in the U.S.) are common.

Italy has seen a few “restructuring waves,” and the sector has become far more complex over time.

A few years ago, “amend and extend” deals, where creditors simply let companies extend loan maturities, were common.

But that just postponed the inevitable, so the market is now (as of 2017) asking for definitive solutions, such as debt-for-equity swaps, renegotiation of key debt terms and covenants, and asset sales and divestitures to repay obligations.

Alternative investors have also become interested in distressed debt here, which could create a wider variety of debt packages to recommend to clients.

Most of the technical work – analysis of bond pricing and yields, covenants, liquidity, recovery/hurdles, and debt capacity – is similar to Restructuring anywhere else.

A few differences include:

Industries: Banking, real estate, construction, energy, fashion, and shipping have all seen a lot of restructuring deals. Banks, in particular, have struggled with non-performing loans (NPLs).

Options: Debtors have three primary options:

A Restructuring Plan (which includes a postponement of claims, debt refinancing, and no court involvement);

A Debt Restructuring Agreement is an in-court procedure for creditors that represent > 60% of total indebtedness. Creditors who don’t sign the agreement must be repaid in the 120 days following court approval. This option is preferable when the company has mostly tax or financial debt since it’s easier to reach the 60% threshold. Creditors may agree to a partial repayment as well.

A Pre-Bankruptcy Arrangement Procedure is similar to Chapter 11 in the U.S. system. It includes court supervision and approval, automatic stay, and creditors’ priority, and the company could continue operating or just sell its assets.

Creditors vote on a debtor proposal for the timing and repayment percentages, and then get repaid based on that. “Cramdown” (i.e., the bankruptcy court can forcibly modify loan terms to improve the outcome for all parties) applies to everyone.

Balance of Power: Italian law tends to favor employees and, therefore, debtors. A few very large companies here have issued debt under foreign laws (e.g., English/Amsterdam/Luxembourg law), so it’s a bit different in those cases, but most SMEs have issued debt under domestic laws.

Q: Great. Which banks and accounting firms in Italy have a strong presence in Restructuring?

A: Large investment banks do not focus on Restructuring because Italy has a high number of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), and the big banks care more about transactions with large, public companies.

If a bulge-bracket or other large bank gets involved, the firm tends to work with another advisor for due diligence and operational restructuring – often a Big 4 team.

Of the elite boutiques, Rothschild and Lazard are involved in high-profile Restructuring deals here; Evercore, Moelis, and the rest don’t do much.

The Big 4 firms play a substantial role in the market, and some firms had established their teams before the ongoing financial crisis.

Others started more recently and have been doing mostly Independent Business Reviews (lender advisory), which is quite different from debtor advisory.

Should You Work in Restructuring at a Big 4 Firm?

Q: Before we started, you mentioned that compensation was lower than in IB. How much lower?

A: Well, it’s not just at Big 4 firms; Italian salaries are far lower than those in other European countries, especially Germany and the U.K.

For example, an IB Associate at a large bank here might earn only 35-40% of what an Associate in London would earn.

And at a Big 4 firm, you’ll earn only ~50% of what IB Associates here earn.

The problem is that bonuses at Big 4 firms generally only go up to ~30% of your base salary, though some firms may offer a bit more to attract talent.

Big 4 firms use a very tight pay scale, where you sacrifice compensation in your first few years for a more “visible” and straightforward career path.

Q: So, it seems like compensation is one of the biggest negatives of this job.

How would you summarize the trade-offs?

A: The biggest benefits of Restructuring at a Big 4 firm are:

You gain a deep understanding of companies, at least if you advise debtors.

You build a wide network since you interact with so many different parties and have a high level of responsibility from day one.

You gain a lot of exit opportunities since you can go to distressed or credit funds, distressed PE funds, turnaround consulting firms, Restructuring groups at banks, etc.

You get a more straightforward career path with advancement and pay increases at set times.

The main downsides are:

The compensation is far lower than in investment banking, but the hours are not proportionately lower.

It’s less “prestigious” than IB/PE roles.

It’s a very reactive job, even more so than investment banking.

Q: Thanks for that summary.

What are your long-term plans?

A: I’m not too obsessed with exit opportunities, so I’m planning to stay where I am for now.

I want to work here until the ongoing financial crisis in Italy is resolved, and I want to see how the market changes over time as alternative investors enter.

I don’t think I’ll stay here forever, so I might move to a different distressed role in the future.

Q: Great. Thanks for your time!

A: My pleasure.

The post What to Expect in Restructuring at a Big 4 Firm in Italy: The Best Place for Turnarounds? appeared first on Mergers & Inquisitions.

from ronnykblair digest https://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/big-4-restructuring-italy/

[battleofmind]

New Post has been published on http://blog.battleofmind.com/overcome-being-afraid-of-change/

Are you afraid of change? 11 ways to overcome being afraid of change

Overcome being afraid of change can be a challenge for a lot of people, in fact, it is difficult for most people. The majority of people want a peaceful life and change and movement is not the easiest of things to experience particularly if you have had a lot of difficulty recently. In this blog post, we share 11 tips on how to change your life if you really want it to be different.  I hope at least one of these resonate with you.

1. Be inspired by people who have beaten difficult circumstances

Most people that we see as successful we think they have landed on their feet, born into wealth or walked straight into a high position. More often than not it is not the case. Harry Potter Author JK Rowling suffered from severe depression for a long time before she made a success of her stories, Peter Dinklage went from sofa to sofa in New York trying to make ends meet before he eventually became a successful actor in his 30s.

Find people you admire, discover their stories and try your best to also follow their life’s path and your own dreams.

For the founder of Battle of Mind, Duncan Bannatyne was always a great inspiration and so he read his autobiography and discovered that it wasn’t till he was almost bankrupt at the age of 30 that he started making his businesses, starting with ice cream vans in Scotland and expanding to many different business industries.

Find your inspiration.

2. Take ownership of changing your life

It would be great if someone would just change our life for us wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way, we have to take the risks, we have to be prepared for failure and we have to stand up and walk forward towards our goals and ideals of life.

When we understand if we really want our life to change we must take action, even if it is simply speaking to a GP, therapist or specialist in life transformation, we must take the first step in reaching out.

We MUST take ownership of our life’s circumstances.

3. Reflect on your life

Okay so you may be at rock-bottom right now, I completely understand, I have been there 6 years ago, I had completed a degree in architecture and also teaching but with a large debt and no opportunity where I lived, unable to move and my ex-fiance wasn’t supportive and decided to leave me so I literally had nothing! It is painful to be at rock bottom, literally painful and tiring but when you are at rock bottom it is the perfect time to reflect on life and decisions made.

Something as difficult as this IS physical, emotionally painful and tiring but when you are at rock bottom, it is the perfect time to reflect on life and decisions made as you have more time to do so.

I recommend writing down things you are disappointed about, letting it out of your mind and then on a separate piece of paper how you would like your life to pan out in future.

Look at your disappointments and heartaches you have written, can you see benefits that came from each thing that didn’t go the way you wanted?

For example, me not becoming an architect gave me empathy for people who have disappointment in life and also led me to become a web / graphic designer in order to build battleofmind.com and seekatherapy.com. Likewise, when my ex-fiancee left me although it was difficult it also made me relieved as I could just focus on getting my own life back on track and not feel responsible for her as well.

Likewise, when my ex-fiancee left me, although it was difficult, it also gave me feelings of relief as I could just focus on getting my own life back on track and not feel responsible for her as well.

Disappointments can actually set us up for greater things in future and why it is important to reflect on the past and take the positives out of those experiences you wish you hadn’t had.

4. Accept Help

Unfortunately, whether we want it or not we must accept help from people when we want to change.

It may be a GP, it may be a therapist, or it may simply be a family or friend.

Accepting help is definitely not weak, it is a sign of strength to accept you may need a hand to get back on your feet and there is no shame in that.

Even now, even when I, the founder of Battle of Mind occasionally still seek therapy from stress and worries. For instance, I once did a floatation tank where it completely relaxed my mind and removed any form of stress, you can read about that experience here.

There is no shame in seeking help, it’s important to help get yourself stronger again.

5. Set Goals

Set goals to help identify what things in life you want to change. It may be a new relationship, it may be a new job, it may be to increase your wealth or it may to simply get your mind to a state of peace. Whatever it is setting goals will give you a focus to draw your attention to rather than festering upon your thoughts of disappointment and depression.

Overcome being afraid of change by setting goals to aim for.

6. Relax and Enjoy Life

Strange as it may seem relaxing is an important part of making change happen. Watch a movie, go out for a walk, exercise, play a video game, go for a bike ride, whatever it is you love to do more of it, it will help you alleviate any sense of stress and help in having a state of mind where you are willing to make change happen.

Overcome being afraid of change by trying to enjoy yourself more.

7. Meditate and/or look into mindfulness

Meditation is a fantastic tool for all people to maintain a peaceful mind. Meditation focuses on the breath and regulates how you breathe. Daily practice of meditation can help you in clearing your mind of any thoughts you may have in order to put you in a place to seek change in your life. If nothing else meditation will give you a sense of peace after regular practice.

8. Be kind and generous to all including yourself

Being kind to others is known to not only benefit the person you are helping but also yourself. When you know you are doing good by someone else and you see their genuine gratitude it can be a very rewarding feeling to know you have improved someone else’s life, even a slight bit.

To make change happen maybe consider looking at how you can help others in your life or possibly volunteer with a charity close to your heart.

9. Use past hurts and disappointments to fuel your drive

It is possible to say no matter who you are you will have had hurt, disappointment and even loss. No one can avoid these feelings regardless of financial status or fame. We all at one stage loose someone close to us and we all must deal with the emotional pain our lives give us. Sometimes our past hurts have been completely out of our control but rather than just accepting it is what it is, learn from the experience and maybe get a little bit angry about it to drive yourself to change your situation. I wrote about anger and how it can be a force for change here.

10. Indulge in your passion/hobby

As already mentioned, doing what you love will make you feel a little more at peace but if you master your hobby or passion it can turn into a profession! I, the founder of this site has always been interested in the arts and creativity and also IT.

When Architecture didn’t work out I studied IT to be able to teach it and when teaching didn’t work out I used my IT skills I had gained combined with my creative skills in Architecture to become a web/graphics designer.

I used several website tutorials and just followed it as it was my passion but what is your passion? Is it in the arts? Is it writing? Maybe it’s getting knowledge of how to maintain good health?

Find out what your passion/ hobby is and pursue gaining more knowledge of it eventually, this will help you feel confident enough to overcome being afraid of change.

11.Final word on how to overcome being afraid of change

Be aware, you hold all the power of change in your life.

The power to pursue help, the power to seek therapy, the power to get a job or a better one, the power to not accept what your life is right now is what it will always be :). You can change your life, you must believe it…even though it is going to be challenging at times, and you are likely at times to want to give up, you mustn’t, it is completely possible to change your life, never give up!

You can change your life, you must believe it…even though it is going to be challenging at times, and you are likely at times to want to give up, you mustn’t, it is completely possible to change your life, never give up!

Start today by taking some of the tips above that resonate with you best but always realize, change in your life belongs to you, you are the gatekeeper to an improved life!