Many people believe that if you do not acknowledge a problem, it doesn’t exist, that if you do not talk about it, it will go away or will get better on its own. This is not how life works.
- Recognizing a problem is the first step towards finding a solution.
- Acknowledging the problem is the next step.
- Determining your plan of attack is the third step.
Making your plan
Habits take time to change. If your attempts to change haven’t worked well for you in the past, you may have been confused about what changes were right for you, or you may have tried to do too much too fast. Perhaps it would be helpful to think about making changes that are smaller and easier to accomplish.
Try to focus on taking one step at a time. Taking small steps will help you see more clearly what may be going wrong with your attempts at change and will give you a chance to find more and effective options for change. Small steps are the best way to insure success and gratification in your efforts. Small steps will help you be in charge. If each step you take feels good to you, you are more likely to want to stay with the project.
If a step is not working, simply try something else. There is always another way. You just have to keep looking till you find it. The important thing is to take steps that feel good to you so that you will want to make them a lasting part of your lifestyle.
Let’s look at how to create a successful plan:
1. I will recognize my strengths and attempt to capitalize on them. Here’s what I plan to do to appreciate myself better.
2. I will integrate exercise into my lifestyle. Here’s what I plan to do to become more active.
3. I will assess how healthfully I eat. Here’s what I can do to eat in a healthier way.
