Change is imminent. It is something that can overshadow us or something we can take into our own hands, handle and learn from. It can surprise us when we least expect it or can be our resolution, idea, wish and a result of our willpower. Whether it’s a professional, personal, habitual or other change, it can be a hard thing to achieve.
But why? Why is it sometimes so hard to change?
The easiest way to talk about change is in the context of our personal resolutions. Changing our behavior requires us to first be aware of the mistakes we’re making and the effect they have on other aspects of our life.
All changes have a social component. By changing our behavior we’re not only impacting ourselves but our surroundings. Although it may sound positive, our community can be one of the main reasons we’re not succeeding. It’s not uncommon to lack support from your family, friends or even your partner which makes every change even more difficult, but not impossible.
In case you’re one of the unfortunate ones who encountered this, you’re not alone. Stand your ground, do your thing and over time, those around you will catch up and may even follow!
Some habits are just harder to change than others and our brain is at fault. As it just doesn’t understand the chemical difference between a life or death situation and a (socially) stressful situations, the same hormones are involved in the decision and habit making. This is why habits formed in times of stress are the ones most difficult to change. You must’ve experienced it- nail-biting, hair-picking and stress-eating are some of the most common ones. What’s important is how to work on them and that’s by starting to acknowledge them. Be aware of your bad habit and focus on not doing it in times you’re not stressed. Over time your brain will “re-wire” and it will be easier to change it for good.
It’s the same as fixing a car. You wouldn’t do it without your tools, right? Then why would you make it harder for yourself and not use everything you have. Whether that’s planning apps on your phone, a journal in which you will write down your daily routines, or a tracker that will help you monitor your progress, there’s a lot of options. Some tools will be the ones you develop and create along the way or just those commonly used for the purpose (aforementioned apps, for example). Whichever works for you is great and will help you stick to it long-term!
We often forget failure is an essential part of the change itself and it’s not something to be scared about. We often make mistakes, break our habits or just give up but it’s important how we get back from it. It’s a perfect opportunity to learn from our mistakes and not give up but focus on how to cope with it in a more efficient way. One of the most common failures is breaking a diet in a weight loss process. While some of us will feel low and give up on the process entirely, others will simply accept it happened, get over it and work on stopping it from happening again.
Change is essential. It’s something that makes us grow, evolve and better ourselves. It’s a crucial part of our life and happens to everyone. We just have to learn to embrace and overcome it.
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