Have you finally achieved your New Year’s resolution? If you haven’t started working on it by this time, chances are, you were not ready to make the change. You may be one of many who desire change but fail to follow through. Why?
Let’s understand how change happens. One model of change starts with the I’m not ready for change stage. You might be “in denial” that your present behavior is a problem. Or worse, you are in denial that you are even “in denial.” When you eventually get over your denial (Congratulate yourself!), you move into getting readyfor change. At that stage, you begin to consider that your behaviors or habits are problematic. The challenge starts on the third stage which involves taking steps toward change, the point where many people fail to act on their intentions. The next crucial step is taking consistent action to manifest the desired change, followed by maintaining the change, which means sustaining behaviors that support change. The cycle terminates when new behaviors are observed and sustained over time. Which stage are you in? By understanding the stages of change, we can better manage our own expectations and begin with small steps towards making changes.
Reference: The TransTheoretical Model of Behavior Change (Prochaska and Diclemente)
