It’s a strange fact of life that changing bad habits is hard to do. One would think that making a change to a healthier, happier lifestyle would be easy. After all, who wouldn’t want to be healthier or happier? But in fact, sadly, making any change is hard.
Having said that, it is worth it. In fact, unless you can see the value of change, you’re not too likely to succeed. So if you are thinking of making a lifestyle change, such as weight loss, to stop smoking, to save money, etc. one of the best things you can do before you start is to make a list of why you want to make that change.
List all the things you hope to get out of it. Why do you want to change? What will be different? This might be a short list or a long list. A short list isn’t a bad thing, especially if it has some really important things on it, such as, “to prevent cancer” or “so I can live to see my grandchildren.” These are strong motivations.
But that’s not the whole picture. There are also some downsides to making a change. Take another piece of paper and list the cons of change. These are going to be the challenges to change. Maybe you really like chocolate and it’s going to be hard to stop eating it while you are losing weight. Maybe you really enjoy that first cigarette in the morning. These may be real barriers to change. It’s better to acknowledge them and plan accordingly than to pretend they’re not there.
Many people have tried to change and failed, so they believe they can’t change. Research shows that most people need a few goes before they achieve a permanent lifestyle change and even then, they may have occasional lapses. No one is perfect. If you see your previous attempts to change as what they are, important learning about what to do next time, you’re much more likely to succeed.
Here are a few things you can do to help you succeed next time>
