Why do some of us like routine? Why do some of us resist change? Why do some of us thrive on change? The Change you need...? Or the NEED to Change??? You know the saying, "A change is as good as a holiday"? How do YOU feel about change? Work, diet, exercise routines, fashion, daily routines, even the way you travel? For example: Do you take the same route to work, or the shops? Try varying the route. The difference can be refreshing. Why do some of us keep doing things that seem to keep us stuck, but we keep doing it anyway? Perhaps there is a fear around trying something new? If we are afraid to do something different, what will happen? We might succeed or we might fail? Failure is a word that does not seem to be accepted in our society. But if we don't start with something new, then we may never know if we could have succeeded? Are we afraid of what other people think of us? Other people are often thinking of what they need to do, and what you think of what they are doing. Change often happens whether we like it, or want it. Sometimes we can do something about it, and sometimes the choice is not in our hands. It can throw us off-balance, or it can refresh our routines. Perhaps working a job that is repetitive, a change is a welcome relief. Job redundancy can be an unwelcome change that is not your choice at all. If another opportunity opens to a career that you always wanted to experience, then change may be a good thing. Most importantly, you are the only one who can make the commitment to changing the way you do something. If someone else wants to make you start or stop something (eg stop smoking, start exercising, eat healthier), despite how well-meaning they are, you are the only one who can make it happen. Statistics on how long it takes to make a change vary a lot. From replacing an old habit to a preferred new way of doing things, reports varies from 21-66 days. Source: (1). But as we know, humans are more than statistics! If we consider habits, we can think about how we feel before doing it. Say for example, eating a whole packet of your favourite biscuits. If they make you happy, then replacing that with something else that makes you happy might be a challenge to think of what could replace the biscuits. Going for a run might not do it for you, but perhaps calling a friend, might work better? So, some habits might be harder to change than others. Staying on track can be a challenge for some people more than others. Keep putting the new behaviour into practice. Then your practice may become routine for you. How we experience change can affect our physical and mental well being. Should you need assistance in handling change, there are fortunately places to go for assistance. For work, there can be Change Management organisations. Speak with your employer. Psychologists, and social workers can be a wonderful point of contact if you want to chat about your personal experience. If change has occurred that is out of your control and you are feeling unsettled or unwell, then see your medical practitioner, who can guide you or suggest the best professional to have a chat and feel better. * Give it a go. Are you thinking of changing something that you do now in your daily life? Make a decision to start. Commit to the new way of doing something. If you miss a day, get back to it the following day. In your own time frame that you can either set, or aim for, you might notice that you are "habitually" doing something different. Something better. That can make a positive difference for you. Here's to your new, improved habits. Yes, it's part of "Loving Me". Lynda Kaplan (1) (Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W. and Wardle, J. (2010), How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol., 40: 998–1009. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.674) © Copyright March 2014 *This information is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. All material in this article is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.
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