We have been told that we are entering a period of change, but do we know what it really means? You would think looking at the lines of people waiting to vote that there was little doubt. People seem to want change.

We certainly can't complain that we haven't been warned. Some of the change that will take place will not be much fun. There will be times when we question what we've signed up for. At least it'll be new, and different. Let's hope that we've elected a president who wants to get the job done rather than thinking about his re-election.

What is it about change that people get worried about? In the majority of cases it is usually because they are afraid of the unknown.

To understand change properly it is helpful if you look at change as just another word for learning. If you do, it all starts to make much more sense.

What we must always try to avoid is sudden change, change that is forced upon us: change that is dictated by events rather than crafted by hard work and common sense.

What is for sure is that Barak Obama can't be the only catalyst for change. He needs you to change too.

If we're looking for inspiration we need look no further than his presidential campaign. If we can show the same determination, self-discipline and commitment in our lives we can make a huge difference to the nation's future. Not grand words, but just good common sense.

We could all take one aspect of our lives and see if we couldn't try and do things better. Let's take health - or to be more specific our weight. If you need to lose weight permanently you need to change. Personal change is the only real way to lose weight permanently. You need to adopt new behaviors, and you do this by learning new habits - slim habits. The new president elect has given us an example and a challenge. It's a pretty good start, but can we live up to his - and our - expectations?