Persistence

"Persistence"
The road to positive change isn’t always easy. Let’s talk about ways to strengthen your will to change, ways that go far beyond New Year’s resolutions – especially the ones you made three weeks ago, and have already abandoned.

You have decided to change something about your life. Maybe you have decided to lose 20 pounds or run two miles every day or stop smoking. You have made your decision and begun the new behavior, by writing your change down gives it permanence, once the ink has dried on the paper it is there for eternity, or until you rip it up or burn it. As you read it and start to see yourself in your new life, the vision will become stronger. These are called affirmations, you are affirming it in words and mental pictures the new you. Do this several times a day, it takes seconds to do, if you keep them by your bed then just before you go off to sleep or as soon as you wake, starts and ends the day on a positive note. As your internal picture of yourself as a slimmer, fitter non smoker YOU, things will start to change, GREAT.

BUT, there is always a but; sooner or later, you probably going to be tempted to slip back into old ways, especially when you are feeling tired, lonely or sad. It is then that you need to have a plan ready that will help keep you on track.

We live in a throw away society, we are used to instant gratification, fast food, cars, hundreds of TV programmes, internet, shops open 7 days a week, so learning that we do not need to be satisfied immediately, we just want to, is a big step forward. One thing you can do is be ready with a list of alternative activities in which you can engage until the temptation passes – call somebody for a chat, make sure they are someone to give you words of encouragement and not encourage you to give in, a walk around a city or along the beach, maybe a trip to the cinema or bowling. One magic tip is to clean your teeth, when your teeth are clean and fresh it gives you something else to concentrate on, so you forget about your nagging demand.

If you get through the temptation successfully, give yourself a tangible reward for hanging in there. Call it a willpower reward. It should be something you will get genuine pleasure from – a gizmo or gadget you have been wanting, a new CD or DVD for your collection, a perfume you have been wanting to try, a new pair of shoes. Or it can be an activity – a massage, facial, round of golf, or a couple of hours with a good novel.

If you don’t do so well and slip up, forgive yourself. Grant yourself the right to be human, and get right back on track. We are not talking perfection here; we are talking about fulfilled potential!

To know much more about pro active self change my new book Personal Coaching for Change can help and support you. This will be launched on 19th February at Hotel Torre, Montesinos during the BGE 5th Anniversary Celebrations, 20% of first 500 books will go to Paul Cunningham Nurses, pre launch purchase with 1/3rd discount.