Embrace Readiness for Change
This week I was reflecting back over some lessons from the 30-Day Challenge that many of you amazing group of women bravely took on this past January. There was one that stood out to me that I thought would make a nice refresher… for those now involved in my Total Wellness Program, or anyone of you looking for one major step you can take towards your higher self, starting today. It’s embracing a readiness for change.
Here’s the funny thing about change - as much as you know you need it, say you want it, know it will be good for you, if you’re not ready for it, it ain’t gonna happen. We all come into this world on our own path that we travel down at our own perfect pace. Some things we are open to and ready for and other things, we may never be ready for. Change is funny like that.
Research says we go through several stages before we get to the point that we are ready to change - 6 stages, in fact. Here they are:
Precontemplation - You have no intention of changing your behavior here, and you are typically in denial. Friends and family can see the problem quite clearly but you can’t. You tend to feel hopeless.
Contemplation - You want to stop feeling stuck. You are starting to recognize you might have a problem and you are seriously thinking of ways to solve it. Your plans are vague and you are often not ready to take action. You may remain here for years.
Preparation - You are planning to make changes within the next month. The important first step is to make your intention public. You may still need convincing that this is the best step.
Action - You are ready. You are modifying your behavior. This is most obviously the busy period and the one that requires the greatest commitment.
Maintenance - Here you work towards preventing relapses. This is the longest, most important stage in the process. You need to be active and alert during this stage to not gain the pounds back, revert back to drinking or smoking, or whatever it is you are working towards maintaining.
Termination - Your ultimate goal is to get to this stage. Here, your former problem no longer presents itself as any temptation or threat.
(Source: Taking Charge of your Health and Wellbeing)
According to psychologist, James O. Prochaska, and author of Changing to Thrive, it is important to recognize where you are in the cycle of change -- what your “readiness for change” is -- so you can set appropriate goals and action steps. To elaborate, if you set goals that you are not ready for, you set yourself up for failure. But if you match your goals to your stage of change, you will maximize your ability to change.
Think of it this way, what are you willing to do? Start here. The thought of drastic, dramatic change may just be too much. That’s why I keep saying “baby steps.” Start small. As you gain confidence, skill and mastery, set another achievable goal. Know where you are on the spectrum of readiness and move from there.
How many times have you caught yourself saying you want something yet you did nothing about it? You stayed, complained, felt hopeless - STUCK. Been there done that. In relationships, jobs and bad habits. The thing is, for me, when things got bad enough I got out of pre-contemplation and into action pretty quickly. As I’ve gotten more practiced at this, the Stuck times have gotten shorter and fewer. I see the warning signs and I jump straight into action as I HATE feeling stuck. I know you do too.
This Week’s Challenge
Is there some area in your life that you say you want to change, but you just don’t feel ready? Where are you on the spectrum of readiness, and what might you need to move one stage further?