Does a New Year = Change for you?

Going into a new calendar year usually brings up thoughts and feelings of a clean-slate, a new start, change for the better…..

Most people do not like change….we are creatures of habit….

Although I am a creature of habit – I personally know, think, and believe that change is the one thing that is dependable, therefore it should be embraced. That is the kind of change that we do not necessarily see coming….

But….I want to talk about deliberate change….meaning conscious and intentional engagement.

Deliberate change occurs with consistent and persistent action.

The word consistent is defined as “of a person, behavior, or process unchanging in achievement or effect over a period of time” and “not containing any logical contradictions” and “holding firmly together” and “fixed; firm” (sources: google.com and dictionary.com).

The word persistent is defined as “continuing firmly in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition” and “continuing to exist or endure over a prolonged period” of time and “lasting or enduring tenaciously” and “constantly repeated” (sources: google.com and dictionary.com).

I have heard it said and believe it to be true that permanent change cannot be made without a person being aware of their “why”. If a person does not have a strong enough attachment to the reason “why” the change needs to occur then the change they want will not come to pass. I agree with this thought.

In my life there have been changes that I have wanted and perhaps needed but my reason “why” was not big enough or strong enough to effect the change I wanted. For example, I smoked for years. I knew that I needed to stop, I wanted to stop, but I did not have a strong enough reason “why” to actually stop. I went back and forth for years, I stopped for 3 years and started back up again. When a family member close to me was diagnosed with cancer (not related to smoking) it hit me….”why” am I deliberately killing myself? This person did not treat their body the way I was and they are sick! All of a sudden my “why” became very BIG and STRONG. I stopped smoking immediately and that was that.

We all have desires, wishes, dreams, and improvements to be made; the need for deliberate, conscious, and intentional changes in our life. If you want and or need to make effective permanent change find your “why”. Make sure your “why” is specific, big, strong, and important to you. Remind yourself every day all day “why” you are going to make the choice that will bring your closer to your goal instead of further away from it.