Thag Change

Let's face it. Change is hard.

Well... that's not exactly true. Change can be pretty easy, under the right circumstances. We can probably all remember times when we have made a change which seemed nearly effortless. In fact, sometimes the change almost seems to make itself, then we can hardly imagine doing things like we used to.

So why is it that some changes are so hard, while others seem so easy? What is different about the changes that we make without much effort?

There are several factors which go into changing or not changing a behavior. If you want to make the changes that lead to weight loss, you must understand those factors. They are:

1. Fear. We are our own worst enemies. Many times the biggest obstacle to change is our own fear. This can be fear of what others think, fear of the unknown, or fear of failure. Fear is paralyzing, and has a powerful effect upon us, when we listen to it.

2. Benefit of our current situation. Though you may be dissatisfied with your life at present, you are getting something that you want out of it, or you would do things differently. For example, when I was overweight, I was very dissatisfied with my body, but I enjoyed eating very much, and I also used food as a coping mechanism, eating when I was sad, lonely, bored, or disappointed. Even though I did not realize it, I was getting a lot of validation from myself for overeating.

3. Lack of motivation or inertia. In order to overcome the first two, and do work to reach a different state, even one that we find desirable, we must have motivation. I call this motivation combined with positive motion "inertia." Inertia has a power of its own, and tends to build on itself once started, but in order to get the ball rolling, you have to be motivated.

All of the factors involved in the process of change can either work for you or against you. Fear, for example, can either paralyze you or impel you forward. Why is it that most people change only when they hit "rock bottom," or they have some sort of health complication? Because they experience fear over the possible consequences of their lifestyle, and that is enough to overcome any other fear or negative inertia. Therefore, in order to make a change, you must understand several factors:

1. What are you getting out of where you are
2. What fear(s) are keeping you from moving forward
3. What fears or factors could you use to motivate yourself? To assist with this step, think about all of the worst case scenerios that you can come up with to associate with not changing.

Once you understand all the forces at play with a difficult decision, it is often easier to take that first step, and once you take that first step, an avalanche of change often results.