January 7th - Statistically today is the day people give up on the New Years Changes they committed to just 7 days ago….
It doesn’t have to be this way.
It’s important to understand that TRUE CHANGES take time and go through stages (sometimes repeating the stages over and over until it “sticks”. )
Don’t beat yourself up if you feel like giving up. Instead, determine which stage of change you are in and repeat the stages as often as needed.
Stages of change
1) Awareness: something triggers you to because aware of the need to make a change. Perhaps it’s a health scare, a number on the scale, a picture, a feeling….something makes you AWARE that you need to change your path. WHAT is it that you want to change.
2) Contemplation: don’t skip this step….because this is your WHY! I recommend you write down all the things you want less of in your life and all the things you want more of in your life. Then, write down what your life looks like if you make the change you became aware of in step 1. Write down your WHY.
3) Knowledge: gather information, research plans, talk to experts. This step is where you figure out your HOW. Ensure you gather good information to take you to the next step.
4) Action: in this step you put it all into action. Remembering WHAT you want to change, WHY you want to change and HOW you have decided to change. You are in full action mode.
{steps 2, 3 and 4 may be repeated over and over until true change happens…..it isn’t a failure to keep repeating steps…it’s a failure to quit entirely}
Finally…the last step and the one step that, when you reach it, you know you have permanent change:
5) Self Accountability: you know you are here when you say things like “I want to” vs. “I have to”. You are fully accountable only to yourself and are able to do the things you decided to in step 2 on your own. This is where I strive to get my clients. This is where lasting change happens.
Now sprinkled through out these steps are motivation….internal & external motivation and it’s important to find that motivation throughout and especially when you are in step 5. Everyone needs that…even after you’ve made a lasting change.
So it you feel like you are about to kick that resolution to the curb…perhaps go back to contemplation or find new knowledge and repeat the cycle again. Everyone can change. It’s not fast or sexy but it’s permanent and worth it.
What stage do you feel like you are at right now?
XOXO, Angie