I'm at a point in my life where I don't seem to be very good at changing. I recognize myself falling into the same bad habits over and over, despite the "wisdom" I have accumulated that tells me the habits are bad. Sometimes I play the "if I could be 20 again but know what I know now . . ." game, but then I think it wouldn't matter. I'd make all the same mistakes.

That was my thinking. Then I had a little experience that kind of taught me otherwise. I have lived on the same street for going-on-30 years now. Last year, I got a speeding ticket on my street for going 36 mph in a posted 25 mph zone. Grumble, grumble. Then, two weeks later, I got another speeding ticket on my street. Guess how fast I was going? You got it - 36 mph.

Clearly, after nearly 30 years, I had developed a specific habit. And clearly, if I didn't figure out how to break that habit, I was going to lose a lot more money and possibly my driver's license.

Guess how fast I drive on my street now? If you said 25 mph, you would be right. I'm almost obsessive about it - and it has been over a year since I got those tickets. I had a compelling reason to change that habit, and it overrode my years of conditioning.

Maybe I'm just naive, but I take heart from that. It makes me think that I might not be hopelessly consigned to ineffective practices that have plagued me all my life, like eating too much junk food, procrastinating unpleasant tasks, and avoiding exercise.

Springtime is a great time to make a change! What's yours?