4 Steps of Change

 There are times in all our lives when we become stagnant. We know we’re in a rut, we know we need to change and yet sometimes it seems impossible. The little voice inside our head that tells us that we can’t takes over.

‘Its too hard’

‘I don’t have time’

‘What if people see me?’

‘What if I fail…again…?’

When was the last time you said any of these things to yourself? Have you considered the option that it will be painful and hard whether you change now or not? If you don’t take action now, where will you end up? If you’re overweight now, if its hard to get to the gym now, what happens in 5 years time? In 10 years time? If you’re tired now, and a lot of us are, what happens if you don’t change anything? Will you have more energy tomorrow? Next week?

The end result of staying stagnant in our lives is that we don’t grow. We become stuck with things that we’re unhappy with, we have problems that go unsolved. We’re lonely, unhealthy, unhappy, underpaid, overworked, stressed, tired and generally pretty miserable because we figured a small change early on was too hard. Harder than what? What’s the alternative?

Admitting you failed before but giving it another go, is hard. However remaining 20kgs overweight, hating how you look in your kids wedding photos and possibly dealing with Type 2 Diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure is harder in the long run.

Quitting smoking is hard. Trust me, I know! But being out of breath when you play with your kids and worrying about the shadows the Dr found on your lungs is harder. 

Staying with the status quo, doing the same thing day in and day out, failing once and never trying again, getting lung cancer or emphysema are all harder than making a small choice to live a healthier lifestyle today.

Take a moment to honestly look at what is making you unhappy or unhealthy, and project that image forward 5 years, where will you be?

So what do we do? How do we work towards having the life, the health and happiness that we want?

4 steps to change

1. Acknowledge what isn’t working – As Dr Phil would say ‘You can change what you don’t acknowledge’ (Oh I’m full of embarrassing sources). You need to name it. Write it down, scream it out, do whatever you need to do but be clear and honest.

 ‘I hate my weight, Im 7kg’s heavier than I was this time last year because I have been eating takeaway most nights of the week. Generally I eat Pizza or pasta because they deliver. I’m just so busy and by the time I get home I’m too tired to prepare food’.

List it all, how else are you going to attack it?

2. Plan baby plan – So you eat takeaway most nights because you don’t have time to cook. How do you fix that? Do you do a big shop and prepare your food at the start of the week? Do you get up half an hour earlier? Do you stop chatting on facebook at work so you can be more productive and leave work an hour sooner? Do you see a naturopath or nutritionist who can guide you on your food choices? Plan it, write it down and set goals around it.

“I will cook my own dinner 6 nights per week. I will do this by shopping on a Sunday and preparing and freezing some of my meals.”

3. Take action – Do it. All the planning in the world won’t change anything if you don’t implement it. I have to tell you, I’m the best planner there is. I work daily at implementing. Acknowledging your problem and not acting is really just picking on yourself. Acknowledging your problem, creating a plan to solve it, and then not acting is a time wasting activity for those who are bored. Acting is the only way to get anywhere, ever. As they saying goes "you cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind". Reread your plan, write it in your diary, make it your priority. Do it, do it now. I wish I had Tony Robbins voice.

4. People need people – Ive heard a quote many times, I believe the original speaker was Charlie Tremendous Jones

“You will be the same person in 5 years time as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read”

People play two roles in our lives. There are people who pick you apart, pull you down and weaken your soul. Alternatively there are those fabulous people who build you, who support you, who love you through everything. Grab on to those wonderful people and tell them what you’re doing. Ask for their support. Work with them. If you cant think of someone who will fill that role, hunt them down! Join a forum, join my facebook page (hint hint) do anything, just find the support. They’re the people who’ll hold you up when you’re not sure you can stand on your own.

Change is hard, but with change comes growth, and growth is always worth the effort. What changes do you need to make?

Chris