Half the battle is recognizing your weaknesses. With grace, any hurdle can be overcome. So a quick recommendation: attend Mass, receive the Sacraments regularly, and PRAY to Our Lady (in Her Rosary), asking for the necessary help. Then, make a good examination of conscience to find what your predominate fault(s) are. Usually our weakness can be traced one of the seven deadly sins (of which Pride is the root).

Once you know what vice (bad habit, fault, weakness) you need to start with, eliminate the occasions of sin and give yourself a goal of practicing the opposite virtue a certain number of times in a day. If the vice is gluttony (lacking restraint in eating and drinking), then a resolution not to take seconds, or not to eat between meals, or perhaps to avoid the alcohol except for one glass of wine at meals, etc. would be a good starting point.

A person who has not been trained in self-discipline (according to the “rules” above) will likely have more trouble with selfishness and a strong wayward will. (I think it was St. Teresa who said that self-will dies fifteen minutes after we do — everyone must fight this primary enemy.) It is necessary to start training the will to follow the intellect and not the passions. Picking things to deny oneself is a good start, but it is important not to forget the greater value of DOING positive things (that one may not want to do!). In fact, it is even better if you can get someone to tell you to do or not to do things (very galling to pride!). Example: religious superiors, spiritual director, spouse, friend . . .

It is the Christmas season. We see Almighty God made LITTLE for us. How helpless He is! How dependent on His mother! How little are His likes expressed! Unless we become as little children . . .

May Our Lady bless you with Her Infant Son!

Only then will we begin to turn around the current trend of creating spoiled, irresponsible, whiny, me-only-oriented brats who grow into the same kind of “adults.”