When I talk about making life changes, I like to specify that I’m talking about real change—permanent, lasting change, not a quick fix or something you do for a while and then revert to the old ways.
The fact is, making serious change in your life can be a lot like going on a diet —you do it for a while, then you stop doing what worked, and you go back to the status quo.
I know that it doesn’t have to be that way, because I’ve changed my own life drastically.
A lot of “gurus” (which I most definitely am not) talk about “making lifestyle changes,” as if the secret is simply that you make it part of your lifestyle.
No offense, gurus, but “DUH.”
Of course it doesn’t last if you don’t make it part of your life. The answer to lasting life change is not “Make it a lifestyle change.” That’s just another term for making lasting changes in your life.
The question really is, how do you make these changes a part of your life that you can hang onto and continue doing?
Fortunately we’re not talking about diet , because I’m not as successful in that area as I would like to be.
However, when it comes to creating a great life, I have done that. I have created drastic change in my life and made progress toward becoming the person I want to be.
The key for me is that I keep doing what works because I like the results.
The problem most people encounter when making serious changes in their life is simply in finding changes that work.
Fortunately, this process can be much easier than you expect.
Start by looking at the areas of your life that don’t work now, and think about what would be better, and what would work. Your “what would work” answers do not have to be long or complicated.
If you are having trouble getting to work on time, for instance, what would work? Going to bed just 15 minutes earlier? Leaving earlier? Skipping some habit in the morning like reading the news online?
Start with small changes and small issues; this will make it much easier to get a sense of how lasting change works. Then tackle something big using these same principles.
Most people want to change their entire life at once, and that simply will not work. But if you begin where you are and do what you can, you will see amazing progress fast.
Angie Dixon is now a successful author and coach, but once struggled to get through the day. Suffering from mental illness, Angie set out to discover how to live after spending a total of a month on the psych ward and finally finding effective medication for her physical illness. In the years since, she has mastered procrastination and learned to live her real life. She is the author of Procrastinate Later, The Leonardo Trait: Create the Life You Were Born to Live, Your Heart's Work, and too many other books and programs to mention here.