Be Well, Live Well: Behavior Change Simplified

As a hypnotherapist and life coach, I am often asked how to overcome the many obstacles life throws our way. The answer is behavior change. Whether you are overcoming an addiction, procrastination or attempting to achieve a lifelong goal, the road to behavior change is not easily traveled, but many have successfully navigated it. Below are several suggestions to make your journey easier:

• Be well informed about the change you are making — Be ready to outsmart the behavior in your effort to overcome it.
• Be ready — Like anything else, don’t go into the effort unprepared or lacking confidence.
• Set goals — Setting measurable goals provides a “yardstick” against which to chart progress and affirms your commitment to achievement.
• Make a total commitment — While different people move into their changes with differing amounts of speed and energy, be totally committed to make the change.
• Take it one day at a time — Seeing a change as something you are going to have to do for the rest of your life is overwhelming. Seeing the change as a series of day-by-day steps makes it easier to accept and comprehend because the mental pressures of changing are easier.
• Plan ahead for scenarios that you find threatening — Thinking of what those threatening situations might be in advance, and having a plan to deal with them, helps with many pitfalls you may face.
• Control your environment — Doing things like not going to places where temptation could occur, making your home a non-smoking area, keeping only healthy food in the pantry and
  refrigerator, or avoiding certain people helps.
• Take small steps — Realized you did not get to you current situation overnight, thus returning to a more healthy state will take time. Big changes occur through a series of small victories.
• Seek support from others — Family members, co-workers, support groups, workplace wellness programs and other means of support are all helpful. If you have support readily available to you, use it! If you do not, find ways to add support to your life.
• Realize that compliments from others are motivating and energizing.
• Don’t let a short term relapse negatively impact your potential for long term success — Recognize the mistake that led to relapse, don’t dwell on it, dust yourself off, get back on the horse and ride on.
• Know that one successful change leads to another — Success drives success.
• Reward yourself for success — Give yourself little rewards along the way.

Albert Camus said, “In the depth of winter, I finally learned within me there lay an invincible summer.” May you bask in the warmth of summer and shine in the light of success!