In our lives change happens. Sometimes it is planned and other times it is unexpected. Unexpected change makes us handle situations as they come up, but changes that are planned can be quite the process.

Recently, I felt I needed to make changes in my life to make myself happy and to put my life on the path that I wanted it to go.

I realized that the first step was to advocate for myself because no one could help make changes unless I let them know what my wants and needs were.

Emotions play a huge part in making changes and can sometimes stop us from making decisions about change. Fear, uncertainty and not wanting to hurt other people's feelings are some of the emotions that I dealt with when making the decision for change in my life.

Once I dealt with the emotions, I realized that I needed to move forward with changes and I took the next step and spoke to the people in my life that could help me get started in making the changes that I wanted.

Big or small, changes should be considered a personal accomplishment. Making change is a process that takes time and planning.

Even though I didn't know how things would turn out I knew I had to take the risk and be content with the fact that I tried and I would have no regrets.

Regardless of the outcome it will always be a learning experience that helps us grow stronger in the end.

I encourage everyone to become aware of your wants and needs to ensure a better quality of life. Be your own advocate for change. If we change nothing, nothing will change.

Abneet Dhaliwal is a contributing columnist for Possabilities.