How to Change

Do you know what happens when you start acting like the person you wish to be?

(This is not a trick question.)

You become the person you wish to be.

It might feel odd or uncomfortable at first, and then it gets easier. If you stick with any new behavior long enough, you stop thinking about your actions and later realize that you have changed. Behaviors that initially felt awkward are now second nature.

You may also realize that the transformation was within your power all along…and it wasn’t nearly as painful as you expected.

Wait, what?

You have the ability to transform your life.

Whether you want to become healthier, get organized, or learn a new skill, choosing to make the change is the first step.

Once you’ve committed to the change, you have the ability and obligation to show up for yourself as you work toward your goal.

Change takes time, and looking at the gap between where you are now and where you want to be can be overwhelming. Instead of focusing on how far you have to go, consider choosing to focus on small actions you can take today to move yourself closer to your goal.

When you break down goals into manageable steps and consistently take action toward those goals, you will learn that consistency wins.

When it comes to fitness goals and improving your health, moving regularly in ways you enjoy will do more for you than fancy workouts and special equipment — especially if those workouts are foreign to you and the equipment is collecting dust.

When it comes to other types of goals, consistency, again, will benefit you more than trying to shortcut the process with solutions that aren’t in alignment with your lifestyle.

Part of making — and then sustaining — change in your life comes down to accepting where you are and building from there.

Yes, it can be helpful to reverse engineer a path from your desired goal back to where you are.

However, sometimes we make the mistake of beginning our quest for fitness (or other achievements) at a level beyond our current capabilities…and then we get frustrated and give up too soon because we are struggling with a change rather than easing into our desired transformation.

When you accept where you are, commit to where you want to go, and identify small steps you can take to move yourself forward, you are empowering yourself to succeed.

And when you show up for yourself day in and day out, you are unstoppable.