How Different Would Your Life Be If Change Wasn’t So Hard?

By Kathy D'Agati, Back to Basic Wellness​
Every day I meet the most amazing people. What makes me sad is how few believe that about themselves. It can be tough to feel good about yourself these days. The demands on your time usually mean that in any given moment you are disappointing somebody. When you are at work you worry that you are not spending enough time with your family. When you are with your family you are thinking of all the things you haven’t done at work. It’s hard to feel satisfied with your life when your to-do list is longer than the day.

How many times have you gone to bed vowing that tomorrow was going to be different? You were going to get up earlier and work harder and somehow find a way to get it all done.
 
Did that promise ever make it through a single day?
 
Don’t feel badly if the answer is no. It probably isn’t because you are undisciplined, lazy, weak-willed or any of the other negative things you say about yourself.
 
It’s also not because the other people in your life are making things impossible for you (though that is a tempting thought).
 
Change is just plain hard- even when it’s a good change.
 
We are all creatures of habit. You need to do countless tasks in the course of the day. If you had to stop and think about each one you would never get anything done. You conserve your energy by doing daily activities on autopilot.
 
Creating change is about creating new habits. You need to be willing to do the same thing, in the same way, at the same time until it becomes something you just do without having to think about it any more.
 
Usually when you think about change you think of all the things in your life that you would like to be different. That list can be overwhelming. When you use all or nothing thinking, it seems the only way to make things right is to go to bed with the right resolve and wake up the next day a whole new person.
 
Nobody can do that. Planning a complete overhaul of your entire existence is a plan that is doomed to fail.
 
If you want to make lasting changes you need to take baby steps.
 
Never underestimate the power of doing this. I have seen clients blossom into incredible human beings because they had the courage to take the first step.
 
If you have spent a lot of time breaking promises to yourself, the first thing you need to learn to do is trust yourself. Set a small goal that you know you can commit to without reservation and then do it as if your life depended on it. You will not believe how empowering it will be for you to achieve a goal you set for yourself. Success builds upon on itself.
 
Now that you know how to do it and you know you can, you just keep raising the bar a little at a time. Don’t rush it. There is far more value in one thing done well than 10 things done in a mediocre, haphazard way.
 
If you really want to guarantee your success, share your commitment with a friend. A promise you make and keep to yourself is much easier to break. Let someone hold you accountable and your chance for success will skyrocket.
 
There is no one in this world with your talents, gifts and abilities. Challenge yourself just a little each day and see how brilliant your star will shine.
 
The world is waiting for you.