Keep Your Resolutions This Year – Part 2

stages-of-changeSo…the new year has dawned bright and crisp and we all have high hopes for the opportunities stretching before us. The skies the limit! So much to accomplish! This is a great time to channel that motivation and enthusiasm into making some changes that will help you to be a happier, healthier, more fulfilled person.

As we already discussed, making changes that are successful and permanent takes experimentation, patience, and tenacity. It can be done, though…with some planning and reasonable expectations.

The first stage of change is called . During this stage people are not actively considering any changes. People in this stage are typically described as being “in denial” because they claim that their behavior is not a problem.

If this describes you, you may feel resigned to your current state or you may believe that you have no control over your behavior. Often people in this stage do not understand that their behavior is harmful or hurting themselves or others.

If you are in this stage, ask yourself some pertinent questions.

  • Have you ever tried to change this behavior in the past?
  • How do you recognize that you have a problem?
  • How would you consider your behavior a problem?

The next stage of change is called . During this stage, people are more aware of the potential benefits of changing but the costs are more apparent. This conflict makes it difficult to commit to trying to change.   For this reason, the stage can last months or even years. Actually, many people never make it past the stage.

If you are contemplating  a change, ask yourself:

  • Why do I want to change?
  • Is there anything preventing me from changing?
  • What are some things that could help me successfully change?

NEXT:   Successful Preparation for Permanent Change

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Keep Your Resolutions This Year!

new-year-s-resolutions-dietingYou start off with the best of intentions when the year is  new.  A brand new year full of promise and opportunity and the possibilities seem endless and expansive!  The skies the limit and you are going to do great things!  Sound familiar?  I know…me too!  Then the momentum wanes and you start to slip a little here and there and before you know it not much has been done to make those happen permanently.

Well…the bottom line is that changing behaviors is not really as simple as just deciding you are going to do something or even announcing it.  There is a substantial commitment of time, effort, and emotion involved in making changes like this.  Whatever the goal, making it happen will be a little different for everyone.  Try to find out what works for you and then go with it.  This trial-and-error process (where you are trying to figure out how to make these changes permanent) is where people typically get frustrated and end up quitting!

Don’t do this!  If something isn’t working for you, reassess and try something different!

This is the time that you need to be looking for the techniques that work for you and finding the ways to keep yourself motivated.

One thing that may be helpful for anyone trying to incorporate behavior changes in their life is to understand the “”  that researchers have found that helps explain how people react to change.  Basically, this model explains that change is not easy and often making smaller changes toward a larger goal is a better way to succeed.

The Elements of Change:

  • Readiness for change:  Are you prepared with the resources and knowledge to successfully make a permanent  change?
  • Barriers to change:  Is there anything that might prevent you from changing?
  • Expect relapse:  Consider what might trigger a return to a former behavior.

Remember, change is most often successful when it occurs gradually and also know that relapses are an inevitable part of the process of change. People are often resistant to change at first but with time they will develop a committed approach to .

Next time: How to prepare yourself to successfully make a change in your life!

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