9 Keys to Powerful Personal Change

Friends, please take a look.  "The Nine Keys to Powerful Personal Change" is excerpted from The Promise of Hope by Edward Grinnan.

I have added my 12 Step and spiritual notes and personalized these 9 Keys to fit with my experience because….Change Is Good But It Is Hard…

Key 1: Begin with Honesty…Take a look in the mirror

Transformational personal change begins with honesty Fear is the greatest obstacle to change. We hide from tough truths about ourselves and what we want in life. Most of us are honest, yet there’s no one easier to lie to than ourselves. Real change requires a fearless look in the mirror.

“But they had not learned enough of humility, fearlessness and honesty, in the sense we find it necessary,” Big Book pg 73

“A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.”  Proverbs 12:17

Key 2: Willingness Is Honesty in Action

You have to find the willingness to do something about what you see.

“Willingness, honesty and open mindedness are the essentials of recovery. But these are indispensable.” Big Book, Spiritual Experience, Appendix 2

“Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.” 2 Corinthians 8:11

Key 3: Positive Attitude Points the Way

Attitudes lead to behaviors; behaviors repeated and honed become habit; and new habits become change. We all can change, but we have to provide our own drive with honest motives and true effort to become the change we seek.

“It works, if we have the proper attitude and work at it.” Big Book pg 86

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

Key 4: Commitment is the Engine of Personal Change

The engine of personal change is commitment During the process of growth and personal change we can be challenged by temporary failure and setbacks. During these times, commitment keeps us focused on our larger purpose. It is you, keeping a promise to yourself that will set you free!

 “There is a solution. Almost none of us liked the self-searching, the leveling of our pride, the confession of shortcomings which the process requires for its successful consummation.” Big Book pg 25

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

Key 5: Building a Bridge to God

Faith is not believing that God can...It is in knowing that God will. Growing your faith is building a bridge to God. Just like anything we build, we have to supply action and effort.

“The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust God.”  Big Book pg 68

“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17

Key 6: Know How to Forgive

Happy people know how to forgive When we forgive, we release both ourselves and the person we forgive from resentment and anger. It’s the ultimate act of letting go and moving on.

“It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness.” Big Book pg 66

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

Key 7: Make the Most of What We Are Given

Acceptance means changing yourself in order to adapt to hard realities. When we choose acceptance, we can make the most of what we are given. It frees us from a doomed struggle and allows us to conform mentally and spiritually to life events we have no power over, may not understand and cannot change. Acceptance is a choice that I must make daily. It saves me from my self will and fear.

“And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of my life —unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake.” Big Book pg 449 (3rd edition); pg 417 (4th edition)

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience,  not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” Romans 2:4

Key 8: Resilience Is the Power We All Possess

Resiliency is the ability to grow and thrive in the face of challenges and bounce back from adversity. In this life we will be challenged and suffer setbacks, its part of our human experience.  We all have them. It is how we recover and move on that determines our success. Resilience is the power we possess to bounce back from life’s inevitable setbacks.

“Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.” Big Book pg 84

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

Key 9: Love Is the Final Indispensable Step

Change is a process of self-discovery. Love is the final step to personal transformation and happiness. Love is the greatest power for change in the universe. It allows us to truly understand and be ourselves. Without love, we feel empty and purposeless. But with it, we are free to become our truest selves.

“Love and tolerance of others is our code.” Big Book pg 84

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12

"The Nine Keys to Powerful Personal Change" is excerpted from The Promise of Hope by Edward Grinnan. Copyright © 2011 by Guideposts. All rights reserved.