Five Key Elements to Make Change Easy!
Have you ever found yourself thinking ‘I’ve been in this situation before?’ Have you found yourself getting similar results despite thinking you are doing things better to create positive change?
I know it sounds crazy, but it happens! It happens with my clients AND to me!!
You set out to create change, and you really want to achieve your goals; however, you fall prey to old habits and possibly allow yourself to blame external circumstances. You make small adjustments, perform inconsistently and can’t understand why you are not reaching your goals.
Change doesn’t just happen. Saying it doesn’t make it so. To be different you have to think and do different…consistently. This is not always easy but it is absolutely necessary. So what can you do to make change happen?
I recently went on a trip to swim with the dolphins in Bimini. For me, it was about making a change to integrate more play into my life. Surrounded by the ocean, being in a different environment with like-minded people made play seem so easy. It makes sense; everyone was there for the same reason!
Similarly, when you attend a one or two-day workshop to develop a new skill, it takes you out of your routine and you find yourself in an environment with a group of people who are all there to learn. When everyone is “in on it” (whether “it” is swimming with dolphins or learning something new) the change you want seems so possible.
Being surrounded by people who get it, understand what you want to accomplish and support you in your efforts is invaluable.
Although you don’t need to go to Bimini or attend a workshop every time you want to make a change. So how can the value of these experiences be brought into your everyday life?
Here are the five elements to consider to make change easier day-to-day:
1. Know what change you want. Is it to play more and have more fun? Is it to learn a new skill? Is it to incorporate more time to read or exercise? Is it a behaviour you want to change? Identifying a specific change will provide you with a place to start.
2. Change up your environment. Do something different or go someplace that will inspire you. Meet up with friends at the waterfront and have a BBQ or play volleyball, just for fun! Go to a place you love, do a wine tour, attend a concert, take a different route to work, have lunch with someone new or go somewhere that you’ve heard about but have never been. Shake things up! It shifts your perspective and renews your energy.
3. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Hire a coach, a trainer, a teacher or find a mentor. An accountability partner can also help you get where you want to go. Keep company with people that support you. You don’t have to do it alone and trust me, it can be a whole lot more fun when you have company!
4. Say YES. When an opportunity presents itself that feels right take a risk and do it. If uncertain or fear arises check in with yourself. Decide whether your uncertainty comes from not wanting to make the effort or it just not being the right thing for you.
5. Engage in activities that support a positive mindset. Read a book that inspires you, listen to music that lifts your spirits, join a group that aligns with your way of thinking, exercise to raise your energy. Find the activities that will support you and keep you on track. On the flip side, identify any activities that are draining you and replace them with new ones that get you pumped.
Pick one of the five elements to implement now. Stretch yourself! Commit yourself to the actions that create change. These actions will become habits.
It’s crazy to expect change to happen when everything around you stays the same. Change isn’t always easy, however, it is absolutely possible. AND when it is something you want, change is also worthwhile.
Align yourself with what matters most to you. Live your brand fully expressed with intention and purpose to play bigger!
Are you interested in having a conversation to explore how you can define your personal brand and accelerate your growth as a leader, individually or as a team? Send an e-mail to book a complimentary 30-minute consultation.
