What makes change so challenging?

The key to real, lasting change is: I have to find the motivation to make change within myself because I am the only one who can make the change I am to make.

The only way I can really make sustained change, even if I don’t like it, is for me to decide for myself how I handle this health challenge. I can decide which aspect of my lifestyle I’ll tackle first and how to go about it.

Once you find your own motivation within yourself, like it or not, you can make it happen. Does this mean it’s all magic and just because you are motivated from within, it will be smooth sailing? No! You may still need guidance and support and many other tools to help you along the way. But, finding your own motivation, in essence, bringing your authority inside and taking responsibility for your health and life, you will be in a better position to actually move forward into better health and ultimately a better life.

Another key piece of this is changing your mindset. What is mindset? This is your collection of beliefs, thoughts, ideas and attitudes that have shaped your behaviors since birth. When you grew up, the older children and adults around you expressed their beliefs, thoughts, ideas and attitudes and these flowed into your young, immature brain. These were never questioned because they have “always been there.” As you got older and started having your own life experiences and thoughts, you might have started questioning what and why you held certain ideas – about yourself, your friends, your community, other groups of people and the world.

The beliefs and ideas you have about yourself are the ones you may want to tackle here. Do you find yourself saying “I could never do that…” or “I’m not smart enough to…” or “I’m not lovable enough to…” These beliefs and ideas may be very old and never questioned but have held you back from trying new things or considering that you CAN do what you put your mind to. One way to get a look at your mindset is to listen to your self-talk. Mine has always been very harsh and cruel until I asked myself if these comments I held about MYSELF, were actually true.

Start by writing down what you hear yourself say simply to get it out in the open. Then, you can start to change it to something positive and supportive so you become your own best friend rather than worst enemy. Changing your self-talk can be challenging but you may find that, once you know what you’ve been telling yourself isn’t true and is from very old “tapes,” you can develop ways to STOP the old self-talk and start saying things to yourself that are uplifting. I have been working on this and it has made a world of difference in how I treat myself!

Try out my free experience, CLICK HERE.

Elaine Stewart, Certified Health Coach

This document is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. I am not providing medical, psychological, or nutrition therapy advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation. For my full Disclaimer, please click Here.

This episode was produced and marketed by the Get Known Service