When there’s something in your life you want to change, it can be challenging to figure out where to start. What if there’s more than one thing you want to change? A new library series, Life Bites: Small Steps to Making a Big Change, is just the ticket to help you figure out where to begin. Read on for my interview with co-presenter Susan Quinn of HCCI (Housing and Credit Counseling Inc.) to learn how taking things in small steps can produce big results.
Life Bites
I first asked Quinn about the phase “life bites” and what it means to her. We spoke about systemically evaluating what is happening with any challenge. Then making small changes based on those evaluations. These two steps can become second nature through practice.
Quinn said, “Life Bites, and how to change anything, is about incremental steps that you can take, little by little, to make a big change in your life.”
Change Anything
The book Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success by the Arbinger Institute guides the Life Bites program. It provides a framework anyone can follow to make changes. You can tackle any change no matter how big or small. Quinn and I talked about a time in her life when she used this exact process to face a big change and break it down into smaller steps.
“Over the years I’ve come back to the techniques in Change Anything again and again,” Quinn said. “Probably the most salient change people who have known me for years would tell you is that I have lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off for over 10 years. It didn’t happen overnight, but my habits have changed over time and I no longer struggle to keep my weight reasonably in check. Even today, I tweak my plans to make my behavior easier to manage. My plans worked for me because I tailored them to what works for me. That’s what you will learn to do with Change Anything: make a plan that works for you.”
Making steps toward change
I agree with her. When you have that moment of realization that you accomplished something on your terms, it’s incredible. Quinn went on to comment on the feeling of hope. I think our world could always use a little more hope these days.HCCI also helps people make changes
“The financial counselors at HCCI have a fantastic program called HOPE which stands for Helping Ourselves Prosper Financially,” said Quinn. “I remember those days when I was first on my own and had to watch every penny. It’s no fun when you have to add up your grocery cart and put something back on the shelf until you can afford it. I can only imagine the kind of mental anguish not having enough to make ends meet weighs on folks. Helping others in our community get out of those situations is so important to me. Everyone deserves to experience peace in their lives that financial security can provide.”
Plan to attend Life Bites
Meredith Snepp
Meredith is the Business and Careers Librarian. Her focus is on helping people become entrepreneurs, find a job or career they enjoy, access legal information and become financially literate, and helping nonprofits with grant research. She is passionate about eliminating barriers to access in all forms through digital equity and equitable access to information. She loves to read mysteries, historical fiction and historical mysteries. When she isn't working she loves to spend time with her family and enjoys learning new things to keep her mind fresh.