How to Make Change Work For You

If you're anything like me, you're always looking for information and new ideas to make your life more productive. As a Wellness Trainer, that's my main focus. Once I get a new thought/product integrated into my thinking, I'm able to teach what I've learned to my clients.

Adopting new ideas can often create an environment where change is necessary.

That's where the challenge comes in. Making a change in your habits, your way of thinking and doing things can be a very overwhelming process.

What usually happens is you begin the jou
ey by checking out different resources that match up with what you're looking for.

Perhaps you get on the internet and find a link to something that looks interesting, or someone tells you of a site, a book or a class that might just be for you.

Next you start investing time and energy to wrap your head around these new ideas. They sound great, and make perfect sense. You continue to go over the new ideas/attitudes/information, but after a few days or weeks, you're either still in the research phase, or you've found something else to focus your attention on and have lost interest.

Sound familiar?

What is it about embracing new things that puts us in a mild state of overwhelm?

Understanding Change:

1. Being able to adopt new things into your life is a skill like any other. Just because you recognize that something is good or useful, doesn't necessarily mean you can switch your behavior to make the change.

A perfect example of this might be drinking water. Let's say you're on a quest for better health. You're not sleeping well, your digestion's off, and perhaps you'd like to drop a few pounds. You do a whole bunch of research, start checking around, and one of the things you keep reading is that you need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

Try as most will, how many stop the routine after a few days because they just can't do it?

Why? Because it's not a habit of theirs, and it takes a certain amount of time and effort to conform to new things.

Habits are powerful. The old ways of thinking are perfectly grooved into our brain. We are on automatic most of the time when it comes to our reactions and reflexes.

The thought of doing something new can be uncomfortable for us. Most of us like knowing what's going on and will do everything we can to protect our control over a situation. When we opt for change, we surrender our control and are faced with the unknown. Even if it promises us the success we're after, it's still an unused road for us and that can bring up fear or uncertainty. Some folks call it insanity to keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results, but as creatures of habit we feel comfort in knowing where we're going.

It's challenging to give it up!

Another reason it's not so easy to make a change is because for many of us, we don't really know what needs to be changed!

We know things may not be working in our lives, or that something needs fixing, but don't even know where to look. Our behavior is sometimes so convoluted with dysfunctional thoughts and emotions, that we're the last to know what's lurking inside.

Being aware that you need to do something differently, to make changes in your life is the first step to make it happen.

Once you make up your mind you're ready to begin, here are some steps to follow:

1- Focus. Get clear what it is you're looking to change. If you don't know exactly what it is, begin writing some of your thoughts down. It's always helpful to get some of your surface feelings out on paper so you have a place to start.

2- Get organized. Make a list of the steps that you need to take. You may only know a bit of the total picture at first. The other steps will show up as you move through your list.

3- Unclutter. Clean up your environment and you will find organization and clarity. If your space is a total mess, just clean a drawer. That will help start the process.

4- Hire a mentor/coach help guide you.

I work best when I have a partner guiding me. Someone whom I am accountable to who helps navigate my success. By myself I can always find EVERYTHING else to do but what I am supposed to concentrate on. I know I'm falling into this old habit, but for some reason it's been the biggest challenge for me to stay focused.

Put me together with a mentor who lays out my program and checks in with me regularly, and I exceed my wildest expectations.

Knowing this has made such a powerful impact on my life.

Everyone needs guidance, and not asking for it is simply crazy.

Change is an inevitable part of life. Start now learning practices that will assist you in adapting to new things.

Whatever it is you are undertaking, the most important thing to remember is to be patient with yourself. Desiring to make a change is one thing. Actually making the change is a whole other story. When it involves habits and behaviors, you don't know how far you'll have to go to get the results you're after.

Use my "Eat an Elephant Diet" plan for change. You don't need to swallow the whole thing in one gulp. Small bites will get the job done!