Sometimes change sucks. It requires effort, sacrifice and a strong will. Motivational speakers say any lasting change must become habitual, lasting a minimum of 30 consecutive days. Are you kidding me? 30 days? There goes the diet flying out the window. It takes digging deep and becoming consistent with your plan otherwise it will lead to entropy. Without the determination you'll be saying hello to those love handles sooner than you let them go.
Change is hard, sometimes slow and can seem unbearable at times. However, a sudden shift in circumstance can cause immediate change to occur like the loss of a relative, falling in love or the start of a new year!
The duration of your change is pivotal and can make or break you. Setting a new resolution of a healthier lifestyle could include exercising three times a week, adding more vegetables to your diet, taking daily vitamins and cutting out sweets. However making a change for a week, then reverting to your old routine is hardly the way to get any real results.
One of the factors to sustained change or growth is accountability. Appoint someone as your overseer, the person who keeps you on track. Someone who loves you enough to tell you the truth even if they know you'll dislike them for a short time afterwards. A kiss ass will not do in this case. You need someone uplifting but firm, who cheers for you in your corner, understands your process and knows how to communicate in love. Be aware, there are times when that love may come out in a raised tone of voice or disappointment. Take the rough with the smooth it will be worth it in the end and the NEW you will love you for sticking it out.
You must resolve to commit to your resolutions. It's more time consuming to switch your goals each week than it is to just focus on a few and accomplish them. Nike's slogan says it best 'just do it.' Sometimes you have to own your dirt and deal with it. Michael Jackson sang, he's starting with the man in the mirror, I agree that's a great place to commence the change.
A popular book says, you can't pour new wine into an old wine skin. Simply put, if you want to achieve new things, you first have to become a new you!
Whatever your reasons for wanting a change, determine to really be better not just different, be audacious not complacent, be authentic not a copy and definitely be unapologetic making no excuses.
Make your goals for change personal, unique and measurable. Without a time frame your goal remains a wish and will never be realised. Your change comes sooner when it's quantifiable where you can monitor and adjust it until you reach the mark. Put a number to it, add an action plan and work from the end backwards.
Don't change for others, do it for yourself. Change is inevitable and the key to growth in life. So whether it's getting over a recent ex, reading more books or getting a new job, go for it whole heartedly. Let your actions do the talking. Remember you are unstoppable.