Problem: Article: Take time out for thorough self-evaluation. To change yourself completely, complete the Best Possible Self exercise. This exercise has been shown to increase positive emotions, boost optimism, help with the development of coping skills, and give you something to look forward to in your future. The time frame can be 6 months, 12 months, or 5 years from now. Close your eyes and imagine that, at this time, you are expressing your best possible self in all its glory. What have you accomplished? What skills do you have? These goals and triumphs should be both positive and realistic. Decide what characteristics you may need to build to attain this future self. For example, your future self may be very compassionate, innovative, and organized. These skills may be demonstrated in a business venture. Which of these skills will you need to further develop to get there? Another aspect of self-evaluation is getting the opinions of others. Keep in mind, these are just opinions. So, don't respond negatively if you don't get raving reviews. You can choose which information you want to consider in your change process. Reach out to a few people whose feedback you respect. Ask them about your performance in school or work. See if they can point out a few areas where you are doing well and other areas where you need improvement. Review the information gleaned from the Best Possible Self and from feedback. Based on what attributes you would like to have in the future, what do you have and what are you lacking? Make a list detailing the strengths and values you already possess, and then create a similar list of the attributes that you must cultivate to be the person you desire. Progress is rarely a straight-line journey. Instead, it is filled with loops, shortcuts, wrong turns, periods of wandering, and occasional stagnancy. You need to realize that change won't happen overnight. Understanding the stages of change can help you recognize that even a little progress is progress after all. Pre contemplation. In this stage, you are not quite ready to accept that you need to change (i.e. in denial). You may defend your bad habits when people point them out. Contemplation. Here, you become more aware of the negative consequences of your bad habits. You begin to think about it more often, yet you may still be skeptical about changing. Preparation/Determination. This stage is defined by a greater awareness of the problem and commitment to change. You may conduct research or seek out professional help to assist you with the change. Action/Willpower. In this stage of change, you lean heavily on your own willpower. You take active steps to change using various methods. This stage can last about 6 months, but can be as short as a few hours. Maintenance. This step involves actively taking measures to avoid returning to your old ways. You reevaluate your life and make adjustments to align with your new habits and/or values. You make a plan to avoid relapse. Relapse. You return to old, undesirable behaviors. This stage may be transient as you move through the other stages. The ultimate hope is that you eventually lose the desire to partake in old, bad habits.
Summary: Clarify your desires. Choose a time in the future. Write down the character strengths that you see in your future self. Get feedback. Take an inventory. Be patient.

Problem: Article: No one expects you to immediately understand all the elements of a new job right away, but they may be too busy to realize that you need help. Don't be embarrassed to ask someone to explain something to you; not only does it demonstrate that you care about the work you are doing, but it might even make the person you ask like you more. It's better to ask for help than to do something the wrong way. Save you and your coworkers time by asking for clarification and doing things right the first time. Benjamin Franklin famously won over people that didn't like him by asking for favors. Asking for a favor can pacify someone that sees you as a rival and make them see you in a more positive light. You may find yourself without much to do on your first day at work. After filling out human resources documents and completing orientation there may be time leftover that your supervisor or manager hasn't accounted for. Don't let that time, or any time in your new job, go to waste. Volunteer to help others with things so you can learn about the job and get to know your coworkers. Be proactive and complete tasks you know you will be asked to complete later. Be comfortable with the idea of doing things that might make you uncomfortable. Doing new things is the only way to get good at them. Demonstrating an understanding of what the company does and how it works on your first day shows that you are well prepared and care about the job. Research the company you will be working for and read about their operations and policies on their website if you can. Look for the company in the news to see if there are any developing or recent stories that involve the company. Peruse press releases the company posts on its website. Shining a spotlight on the help others have provided or the hard work they've done goes far to demonstrate your confidence and that you are a team player. If someone goes out of their way to assist you, mention it to the group or your supervisor in conversation. Pointing out the achievements of others may strengthen your relationship with them. Demonstrating that you are willing to share the spotlight shows your employers and coworkers that you aren't selfish. Now that you have established yourself as a valuable new member of your team, it's up to you to live up to the expectations that you've set for yourself. Keep up your good habits to establish a long lasting impression as a team player and asset to the organization. Be a hard worker, but be modest about your successes and achievements. Demonstrate a willingness to help others and be a part of the team. Be honest about mistakes and upbeat about every situation. Be ambitious and action oriented; don't be afraid to try new things.
Summary:
Ask for help. Take initiative. Know the company. Share the spotlight. Develop your first impression into a lasting impression.