Steps you can take to motivate change

What can motivate us to change when we feel stuck???

We spend a great deal if time wanting to be an improved person, both mentally and physically. Yet the pressures of every day life gives us little time to be motivated enough  to take the necessary steps to change.  As a result, many people put off things for the tomorrow that never comes.

In addition to lack of time, people may believe change is too hard. They may have tried many times before and failed. They may believe their fate is already sealed, that even if change takes place, it would make little difference. With all that, there is also the implicit or explicit impediments from the  environment that are too difficult to overcome. The reasons are as individual as the strategies that could overcome them.

So what can people begin to do to get themselves unstuck?

  1. First, become aware of exactly what is truly wanted.  It is amazing how little thought goes into this. Be as specific as possible.
  2. Take the first step and treat it as crucial as the ultimate goal. That means acknowledging them and not minimizing each of their importance.
  3. Recognize and accept that change rarely takes hold in one felt swoop. Patience with those small steps is critical. Whether each step brings success or not is not as important as what is learned that will lead to a positive outcome. Remember in the movie “What about Bob”…….. baby steps.

Contact Ray Shocki PhD, LCSW, LMFT for any comments, suggestions, questions by writing to lifesourcecenter@aol.com