Change often is unnerving. We fear the unknown. But if we

don't act, we delay the greater reward: producing good fruit and experiencing a better life.

If you know something's got to change, your first priority is to embrace it with a positive attitude and see it as an opportunity to experience a life you've always imagined — one filled with more joy, excitement and possibilities.

Here are 10 things you can do to change your life and your career:

1. Admit your mistakes

Here are four magic words to put into practice this week: “That was my fault.” The bigger action behind those little words is even more courageous, especially at work: putting your ego aside. You see, admitting to being human and making mistakes actually increases trust.

Dr. Paul Zak, author of “Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High Performance Companies” says: “People who are imperfect are more attractive to us. We like them more than people who seem too perfect.”

2. Simplify

Simplifying your life is not necessarily about getting rid of everything you've worked so hard for. It's about making wise choices among the things you now have to choose from. It's about recognizing that trying to “have it all' has gotten in the way of enjoying the things that do add to your happiness. It's deciding what's important to you and gracefully letting go of the things that aren't.

3. Express more gratitude in life

Here's how to do it: Write down three acts of gratitude. For long-term effect, do it for 21 straight days.

Positive psychologist, TED Talks star and best-selling author Shawn Achor says the reason this is so powerful is that you're training your mind to scan for positives instead of negatives. This activity is the fastest way to teach optimism and will significantly improve your outlook even six months later. Think about what you are grateful for.

4. Avoid people who stress you out

If someone is a constant source of stress and you can't turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely. This is especially the case if the air you breathe is permeated by heated topics that trigger you and cause your blood pressure to rise (for me it's politics and religion). Learn to avoid these people and choose to live in a peaceful state of mind.

5. Spend money on sharing experiences

Forget buying material possessions. Several studies found that happiness comes from experiential purchases that involve other people, like taking in a play, playing golf or going out to dinner or having coffee with someone. When you do, it improves your well-being more than spending on high-tech toys. “It may be less the doing that creates happiness than it is sharing the doing,” the authors of one study explain.

6. Don't expect people to live by your rules

Dealing with unmet expectations is a huge source of stress. Make sure you set proper expectations for yourself. And when you set expectations for others, make sure you communicate clearly so that they understand them. Expecting others to fulfill your unspoken expectations is a quick way to a toxic relationship, and you're the culprit.

7. Run away from gossip

Author Peter Vajda defines gossip as a type of workplace violence, noting that it is “essentially a form of attack.” Your best course of action is to walk away, as it will save you unnecessary stress and your good reputation.

If you're caught in it often, put limits on those who gossip. Turn down lunch invitations and walk away from water cooler conversations that go south. Then seek work relationships with positive people who respect others, focus on themselves and don't get sucked into groupthink mentality.

8. Listen more — really listen

Are you a good or bad listener? Let me test you with these two questions. How often do you find yourself trying hard to avoid the bad habit of interrupting others while they are speaking? Are you tempted to jump in and finish someone else's sentence?

Effective listening is being content to listen to the entire thought of someone rather than waiting impatiently for your chance to respond. That's when both parties know real listening is taking place.

9. Don't fake it 'til you make it

Sometimes we make the unfortunate choice of not being our true selves to gain a desired outcome. We put on a mask and work a room trying to impress others. It's the road to short-term gain, with consequences that could hurt — or destroy — your reputation and relationships. By being real with yourself, dropping the mask and walking in the path of authenticity, you'll soon notice a drastic difference in whom you attract and how others treat you.

10. Set smaller goals

Take one small step at a time to help build your confidence, keep you moving forward and prevent you from getting overwhelmed with visions of your final goal. In other words, don't focus on the top of the mountain. Just focus on the first mole hill.

So what's your first step? Take it.