Change Is Great!

---

"If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living." -Gail Sheehy

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." -James Baldwin

---

Everyday is a new opportunity to make changes that will lead to greater success in your life. Here are a few things to consider as you are making adjustments in your life.

Changing our behavior for long-term, sustained change is not an easy task. Whether the change involves spirituality, finances, nutrition, exercise, habits, dependencies, or anything else, changing behavior is one of the hardest things any of us will ever try to do. This is a well-researched area, and many reasons are known about why sustained change is tremendously difficult. Today let's look some primary reasons!

-A very important step in changing is making a commitment. This is what the best of behavior change research tells us; if we haven't made a commitment to accomplish whatever we want to accomplish, it will not happen. We need a system that firmly establishes what we are going to do and how we are going to complete it.

-Our motivation is from negative emotions. Emotions such as guilt, regret, shame, and fear should help with behavior change, however the opposite is true. Negative emotion may trigger us to think about everything we are not doing. This is not the proper method to make the changes consistent. One review of 129 behavior change studies found that the consistently least effective change strategies were based on fear and regret. Real change needs a positive platform to begin with positive, self-edifying reasons for going on the journey.

-We do not embrace failure. Part of changing is failing. In the process of failure are there are lessons that are learned and can be built upon. It is going to happen and reveals more to you about what deserves your attention. History has shown that the change process models all factor in failure as part of the process, and encourage those who would change to see failing as a step, not as the end of the process or an excuse to stop trying.

-An all or nothing approach will lead to feeling overwhelmed. So, for example, if you set out to change your eating habits and fail, this mean you just cannot do it. This is something that you must remove from your thought process and understand that small measurable steps will lead to your successful behavior change.

-Taking on too much at once. Selecting a starting point with measurable actions is important. Instead of stating, I am going to start saving money, say I am going to start putting $500 in my savings account every pay period. Engaging in this action over time results in cumulative change. Another example, stating, I am going to lose weight, can become I will reduce my daily calorie intake by 200 hundred calories and complete 3-45 minute workouts this week. The cumulative actions need specific goals, which behavior change research suggest are essential to success. They must be realistic and measurable. In addition, trying to change too many things puts unrealistic demands and drains our attention, self-control, energy, and motivation. Other parts of our lives still need our resources.

-We miss the part about change is never just one thing; it is many connected things, and sustained change does not happen without a process that considers all of the parts. You can consult any number of models for behavior change, for example, the TTM Model and BJ Fogg Model, will help if you follow the steps. Remember, nothing about behavior change is simple and it is a process driven challenge to get results.

-We do not get the right tools. For example, to build a house you need the right tools, right? What is the most important part in building a house? I say blueprints. What is the most important part in changing? I say realizing that we need to change. After this we get the necessary tools to help us accomplish it. Changing our nutrition requires that we find knowledge on how to eat and drink healthier items.

Changing our spending habits means that we find knowledge on how we can save, where we can save, and the benefits of saving. Changing our spirituality means that we find help in the Bible, ministry, and other sources. Keeping daily reminders will help you stay the course. Make sure you use resources that will lead to your success.

By: James Henderson

Reference: David DiSalvo, 8 Reasons Why It's so Hard to Really Change Your Behavior, Psychology Today