So often I am asked, “Do you think people can really change?” or more importantly,  “Can I Change?” My answer is always “Yes” because I see it happen right in front of me every day. Now that doesn’t mean that it is easy or there is a secret formula to make this happen. Neither does it mean that you can change anyone other than yourself. The only control you would have in that situation is changing your reaction to the person you want to change and then see what they do about it. Change happens when you decide that you want it to. For some people, it can be a flip of a switch when it pertains to something obvious, and for others, it’s not that simple and appears in a much more gradual form. However, baby steps are significant and still mean progress. Here is a poem that demonstrates this process, and maybe it will help you pick even the smallest of things to start doing differently in order to guide you in the direction you want to go. It was written by Portia Nelson, and is titled: “Autobiography In Five Short Chapters.”

Chapter 1
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost…I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I fall in . . .it’s a habit. My eyes are open
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter 4
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter 5
I walk down another street.

Please contact Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678  if there are changes in your life you would like to make no matter how big or small. We can help you answer the question of “Can I Change?”