“Every new day is another chance to change your life.” – Unknown

Oftentimes, people think they need to make radical changes in their lives in order to see big results. However, sometimes just a shift in our thinking can provide a catalyst for the change we wish to see in our realities. After all, we become what we think, and we attract what we are, so we must utilize our own power if we want to start living a different life.

You hold the key to a new reality, and one thought could flip your world upside down if you simply believe in your own ability to create positive change.

If you want to change your life TODAY, here are 5 simple things you can start doing now:

1. Give up the “all or nothing” mentality.

Even the most positive, self-confident people in the world have spells of insecurity and negative thinking sometimes, but it can become debilitating if you actually believe these thoughts. For example, let’s say you want to get a higher paying job. You might tell yourself “If I don’t land this job, then I will never find anything else and that means I just don’t deserve anything better.” See how damaging this type of thinking can be? By telling ourselves we won’t find happiness and fulfillment unless a certain event occurs, then we have vested all our faith and energy in an outcome. This means that if something different happens, our rigid way of thinking will prevent us from seeing the bigger picture, and realizing the universe simply had different plans for us.

Rather than thinking in absolute terms and conjuring up the worst case scenario in your mind, start thinking more realistically. Self-defeating thoughts can really prevent you from living up to your full potential, and trick you into thinking you can never change your life due to one event or situation.

2. Stop labeling yourself.

When you label yourself, you limit yourself. You place yourself in a box full of stereotypes and society’s preconceived ideas of what people should act like, which inhibits you from recognizing your Higher self outside of worldly labels. You don’t have to assume any identity in order to express the real you; we all are simply energy that manifested into form, and don’t need labels to separate us from our Oneness. Simply say “I am” and don’t feel the need to finish the sentence. Go out and live your life and do things that make you feel like more of yourself, without becoming attached to words that describe your personality or lifestyle.

For example, let’s say you tell yourself that you’re shy, so you can’t go to a party with people you don’t really know. Or maybe you identify as a New Age hippie, so you think you can’t go shopping for new clothes if you want them. These labels just serve to bar you from new experiences in life, and can really take hold of your mind if you let them. Release your need to fit into a certain group, and just accept yourself as never-ending, free-flowing energy. This is when you can change your life, when you can realize that you’re already a free and limitless being.

“Give up who you are to become who you might be.” – Unknown

3. Don’t value the opinions of others over your opinion of yourself.

Most of us still live in some degree of fear of other people’s opinions. We second guess ourselves and end up doing things we don’t really enjoy to impress other people. We desperately want to fit in and feel accepted, so we rely on other people to provide us with that security and comfort. However, if you live your entire life caring about what other people will think of you, then you will never experience life at all. You will only see the world through other people’s eyes and wear a mask over your true identity. You possess all the power and confidence you need already; you must rise above the chatter and judgments of others, and reclaim your soul by simply going within for answers. Look to yourself for acceptance and love, and it won’t matter then if others approve of you or not. Once you learn to value your own opinion more than those of others, you will start to see the leaves of change in your life.

4. Replace the “I can’ts” with “I cans.”

Another form of degrading thoughts, the “I can’t” mentality can stop you in your tracks before you’ve even taken a step forward. If you don’t think you’re good enough or deserving of something, then of course, it won’t show up in your life because you’ve created a blockage. You have put up walls to keep out potentially amazing things from manifesting in your reality, and told yourself you can’t achieve what you want before you even try. The universe works with the Law of Attraction, so whatever you think will show up in your life, regardless of if you want it or not.

If you don’t like what you see in your life, the primary culprit here is your mind. Change your thoughts, change your life!

5. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Comparison does nothing for you, except make you doubt yourself and feel inferior to others. It can make you feel worthless if you expect your life to look exactly like someone else’s, and will most certainly only pave the road to disappointment. Or, you could use it in the opposite way, in order to feel better about yourself and where you’re at in life. It helps to remember that everyone here is on their own journey, and no one is inherently better than anyone else. We all have our own roads to take, our own destinies to fulfill. Your path will look differently than your neighbor’s, your sister’s, and your friend’s, and this doesn’t mean you have chosen the wrong route.

It means you have certain lessons you need to learn here that might differ from others, so stop comparing your journey to everyone else’s. Focus on how you can become a better person, and everything will start to fall into place.