How many people are unhappy with their lives but do virtually nothing to fix them? Unfortunately, far too many. There are deeply ingrained bad habits, poor self-image, self-sabotage, lack of discipline and a host of other issues to grapple with. The pain of change may seem too great at times.

But, at some point, you may have realized that you are ready to take real action; you really want to make changes, not just think about them. You are done wishing your life was different, and are ready to actually make that difference a reality. If you are at this point, congratulations. You are well on your way to getting the desired results.

Here are just a few tips to get you started:

Clarity is Key

If you are really serious about making positive changes, you need to get ultra-clear on what it is you want to change. What is causing you unhappiness now, and what do you think would change that? What type of person do you want to be? How do you want others to see you? When thinking of your ideal life, what does it look like? What are you doing? How do you feel? This is not the time to hold back based on what your life is like now, or how it has been. Don’t censor yourself. The clearer your vision, the more successful you will be in making your desired changes. You will have clearly defined targets and, with clear targets, it is easier to devise a plan of action.

Face Problems Head On 

To really change for the better, and achieve better emotional and mental health, it is important you get out of denial about any problems that you may be having, or finally address issues that you have been deliberately ignoring—they are not going to go away, as much as you are secretly hopizng they will.

If you are drowning in debt, for example, and can’t see a way out, start devising a plan to deal with it. Start reading up on credit repair company reviews to find a reputable company who may be able to help you. Reach out to lenders and tell them what is happening—they may give you a bit of leeway, and allow you to make smaller payments.

If you are involved in relationships with people who are emotionally toxic, you have to do something about it, whether it is talking with them about how they are affecting you, or limiting your time with these people. If your job is slowly killing you, you don’t have to quit tomorrow, but really start thinking about your next steps.

It can be scary actually taking action after sweeping things under the rug for so long, but it is a necessary if you are serious about really turning things around. While the fallout may be a bit unpleasant, things will begin to improve immediately on the whole.

Learn to Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable 

One of the reasons it is so hard to change for the better is that the things required to do this can be quite uncomfortable, sometimes both physically and mentally. You are stepping out into new territory that may be way outside your comfort zone. You may worry about how people close to you will react to your efforts to better yourself—unfortunately, not everyone will be happy about each move you make.

Some may take your efforts to change as some sort of rejection of their own way of being, or it will serve as an unwelcome reminder that they are mucking things up big time in certain areas of their own lives, and they won’t like this. Then there is the whole jealousy thing.

There will be times when you are doubtful you will be able to do what you want to do, or times when it feels truly impossible.  If you can learn to get more comfortable with being uncomfortable, you will be able to stay the course, and get through these difficult times. The reaction to these feelings will not be as intense.

Sometimes simply accepting the challenge gets you in a better state of mind.