Personal changes and behavior changes in life are difficult. Humans are creatures of habit by nature and tend to resist change because it is uncomfortable. But sometimes we recognize or are recognized by others that change is necessary.
Accepting that a particular domain change is required is usually the first and very important step in this process. While it might be nice to be able to passively develop new skills or easily let go of long-held bad habits, this is generally not a normal experience for most people. Author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn aptly says, “Life doesn’t get better by chance; it gets better through change.” Once you have space for awareness and acceptance, you can move into action. Some metaphors provide perspective on some useful ways to visualize action steps.
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Preparing for change: Laying the foundation bricks
Once we decide to change a habit, we often get wrapped up in the process without taking the necessary preparatory steps to increase our chances of success. Just as the person laying bricks for the foundation of a building needs time to gather materials, prepare cement, and work through the step-by-step process, individuals making changes also need to consider what will happen. Must be. Required for successful change.
While it may be tempting to go straight toward the goal of suddenly quitting smoking, procrastinating, or nail biting, it often takes a little introspective preparation. Do you have the tools you need to move forward? Do you understand the triggers that cause the behavior? Do you need to practice some alternative behavior before undoing the habit? Otherwise, change is less likely to be successful.
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Accept the difficulties and forge a new path
When we change our behavior and our lives, it’s like trying to create a new path in the forest when another well-worn path already exists. It would be easier to walk down the beaten track, taking the same old path. Building a new path can involve getting scratched by overgrown bushes or feeling disoriented because the path you’re on isn’t always clear, but it’s easier to build a new path if the old path leads to a dead end. A new path is often needed. We must be prepared for the journey to be difficult, unfamiliar, and sometimes long. Because it’s new and different, we’ll probably feel the urge to go back to the old, easier way. But the concept of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change and adapt its structure and function in response to new behaviors, is a concept that can literally create new neural pathways in the brain through repetition, much like creating a new path in a forest. will tell you what you can do.
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Reduce Overwhelm: Practice an Instrument
The process of forming a new habit can be daunting, but by making the steps smaller, you can make the process feel more achievable. Just as someone who wants to learn how to play the piano needs some initial practice, such as warming up scales and reading notes, before moving on to increasingly difficult but beautiful music, those who want to make a change. You can feel more ultimate success if you start with small, steady steps. Breaking down large goals into more manageable tasks will not only make you feel less overwhelmed, but it will also increase your motivation and performance when you can accomplish your goals.
“Microdosing” changes are more likely to be successful because the brain and body can adapt to the changes more slowly. Smaller steps also allow you to adapt to changing circumstances without having to start from scratch, making it easier to modify if necessary. No one becomes a master pianist overnight. Consistent practice and fine-tuning is key.
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Know that you need patience: create a masterpiece
While it may seem motivating to make breakthroughs, it is generally difficult to maintain this level of achievement over any significant period of time. Like a sculptor chipping away at a block of stone or an artist adding color to a canvas, it may be difficult at first to imagine a fuller masterpiece. Some of the small steps may seem pointless, but each step builds on itself and allows you to move forward over time.
It takes a lot of patience as the improvement is hard to see at first. It is necessary to have hope and trust in the process of small changes, and the long-term beauty will be revealed in the end. Breaking tasks down into small steps helps you build consistent habits and routines that support long-term success. Small milestones can be psychologically rewarding because you can more easily monitor your progress and even celebrate small wins.
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Acknowledge your sadness: Empty your closet
When we start a new habit, we may feel excited and proud, but we may also feel sad and anxious. Letting go of a long-held behavior is similar to letting go of an appliance, an old love letter, or a worn-out piece of clothing that you no longer need but had great value at one point in your life. I know there’s no point in holding onto it anymore, but there may be sadness in some of the old memories.
Essentials for habit formation
On the one hand, we know that we often need to clean out our internal “closets” to make space for new, improved, better behaviors, relationships, and ways of thinking. Masu. But at the same time, it’s worth examining for yourself how important a step this is and how worthy of recognition it is.
You can’t always choose when to change, but if you’re starting to change and you have the freedom to choose, choose something small. In the fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, as the two animals race to the finish line, it is the tortoise who finally reaches the finish line, slowly but steadily.
