This is something I discuss often with my clients. How we view our relationship to change is often in conflict with the process of change.
Our view of change often reflects the idea of turning on a light. We flip the switch on, and we are DOING the change. We flip it off and we are NOT doing the change.
But that is not how change works. Change is a process that we move through. Often when we want to make a change, we want to be at chapter 20, but really, we have to focus on the small steps it takes to get there.
Example scenario. We want to run a marathon. How do we get there? Through small, manageable steps. Perhaps a marathon is something we would never consider doing in the first place. We are not a runner! Then we see a friend training for one and we start to see how excited they are to plan their training runs, buy new shoes, identify the perfect marathon location and date. It gets us excited. We start to contemplate the idea that maybe we could run one as well!
We start thinking about what it would take to run a marathon and researching it. One day we decide to go for it. We start preparing. We identify all the steps to successfully run a marathon. We schedule a date for 4 months ahead on the calendar for the PERFECT marathon. We join a group of runners for the accountability and support. We start following running groups on Facebook. We get all of the necessary supplies.
Four months pass and IT IS HERE! We are doing it! We are running the marathon. We run the marathon and meet the goal we set for our self. What happens next? We celebrate our success. We have become a runner. But how to we keep up the momentum? We decide to find another upcoming race. The process starts over planning for the next one. A year passes and we are continuously running for the joy of it and love the community we have created in our lives. We never thought we would become a runner but look at us GO!
That is just one scenario of how the process of change works. Switch it out for another goal we want in our lives. Through small steps we move forward. Along the way, we discover our strengths and values and our ideal vision of health.
Change is not a light switch.
What changes do you want in your life? What is your optimal vision for health and wellness?