The Key to Making Long-Term Changes

Do you believe you can't change? Many of us are already aware that we must improve our overall well-being to live longer lives. Making adjustments has traditionally been challenging, but the good news is that it is never too late to make positive changes. The first step is to figure out what's essential to you and then make the choices and actions to get you where you want to go. Perhaps you wish to begin a new career, lose weight, quit smoking, or start exercising. Whatever the change, be sure you understand why you want to make it.

Consider a period in your life when you made a successful shift or established a new habit. What prompted you to make the change? What were your feelings at the time? What stumbling blocks did you have to overcome? The degree to which you are willing to change will influence how successful you are and how long it will take. Once you've decided to make a change, you must practice that new behavior one day at a time until it becomes a habit - a long-term change.

Accepting the concept of change is significant because, surprisingly, many people believe they have no option for change. Why? It could be fear, guilt, love, suffering, time management, or even a court order for some. What inspires one person may not be the same thing that motivates another. Everyone reacts differently to changes, whether they are voluntary or imposed.

To begin making a change, let go of certain preconceptions or methods to make place for new ideas. Work on it one day at a time until you're satisfied. When I work with sedentary persons to enhance their activity level (those who work a lot and don't have much time to exercise), this often comes into play. "I don't want to walk for an hour or 30 minutes," one of my clients complained. My answer was to recommend multiple two-minute periods totaling 30 minutes throughout the day — for example, simply standing up, walking around, and visiting individuals throughout the office. The outcome was positive. He exercised and as a result became more friendly! I gradually increased his walking duration to 10-minute intervals three times a day as he became accustomed to it. He's now walking for 30 minutes at a time and enjoying it. All of this happened over a few months.

To make a long-term difference, start where you are and stretch a little bit more each time. If you fall off the wagon or encounter resistance, identify the cause or circumstances, such as who you were with, where you were, or your mental condition. The key is to get back up and on the path. You may need to go back and forth a few times because making long-term changes is difficult. The degree to which you are willing to change will influence how successful you are and how long it will take. However, you must be prepared, capable, and ready to effect change.