| | | Friend,
Changing our behavior is one of the hardest things any of us will ever try to do. Have you ever wanted to really change something in your life (start and keep to a healthy diet, lose weight, exercise regularly , go to bed on time, etc.) and quit halfway through or even before you started? Of course you have. I have too.
There are a number of reasons for not following through and one of the biggest is not knowing why. Why do we want to change? Remember when you were a kid and your parents asked you to do something? The first thing I always asked was "why?" And the response was often, "because I said so." This answer usually resulted in me either not doing what was asked or doing a half-baked job of it. Not that much has changed since then.
Aside from know our why, there are a number of reasons we don't follow through: - We're hardwired with negative emotions. These emotions trigger us to think about everything we’re not doing, or feel like we’re doing wrong. Real and lasting change requires positive thoughts and emotions. When you're trying to make a change and a negative thought comes up, recognize it and tell yourself that was the old you. Then replace it with a positive thought like something you've done well or that you're grateful for in your life. I promise you, if you do this one step over and over, it will change your life.
- It's all or nothing. We often get off to a good start when we decide to make a change. We're excited and hopeful. And then we do one little thing wrong like skip a workout or have a piece of birthday cake. And just like that, the deal is off. If this happens to you, repeat after me: PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION.
- We try to eat the entire elephant. It's almost impossible to change our behavior if we think we have to do it all at once. And even harder if we're looking at the end result and have no idea how we're going to get from here to there. Instead of saying, "I'm going to start working out more," try "I'm going for a 30 minute walk around the park after dinner tonight." And then do it!
- We ignore the fact that failure is part of the process. If you try to make a change and fail, you're in good company. Failing is and has to be part of the process. It's like riding a bike without training wheels. We fall off, skin a knee or an elbow, cry a little and then get right back on and try again until we're pedaling down the street with the wind blowing through our hair (what can I say, we didn't wear helmets back then and it was pure, sweet freedom!). It's important to see failing as a step, not as the end of the process or an excuse to stop trying.
- Our brains are wired to repeat habits—good or bad. We have these amazing neural pathways in our brain. When a new pathway is created it's like a trail in the woods that no one has traveled. There's brush, leaves and trees making the journey a challenge. But like any path, the more it's used the easier it is to walk through. Over time this 'road less traveled' turns into a four-lane highway. Our neural pathways are just like this. That's why making a change can seem so hard at first but if we stick with it, suddenly it's not so hard anymore.
Are you struggling with a change you want to make in your life? I'd be happy to help if I can. Click here if you'd like to schedule a time to chat. It's complimentary and always enlightening!
Wishing you well, |
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| | www.YourInfiniteWellness.com ~ 617.678.4088 |
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