How to Mentally Prepare Yourself for Life Changes
If you would like to make a big change in your life, it may be difficult for you to get started without preparation. Careful planning can help you to start to make the changes that you want. By preparing to make a big change, you can increase the likelihood that you will be successful. Here are some tips that can help you as you begin to plan.
Determine why you want to make the change
Being ambivalent about making a big change is a common obstacle that can get in your way of doing so. It is likely that part of you wants things to remain the same while another part wants things to change. You should think about why you want to make the change that you are considering. The more that you can think of the reasons why you want to change, the stronger your impetus for taking action will grow.
Give yourself time to prepare
Without preparation, people are more likely to fail when they try to make changes. Once you have experienced failure, it can make it more difficult to try again because of a loss of confidence. By taking the time to prepare to change, you will be able to gain the skills that you might need to help you through the process. Think about past attempts that you have made so that you can identify what did and didn’t work. Gather allies who will support you as you work on changing.
Visualize yourself after you have successfully made the change
Picture yourself and your circumstances as if you have already successfully made the change that you want to make. Spend time to explain to yourself what made you succeed. Doing this has been shown to help people create plans that are more detailed, allowing them to more easily handle obstacles that might arise.
Hang in when the going gets tough
Making big changes is difficult, and you are likely to encounter small setbacks along the way. Develop a mindset that you will continue working towards your overarching goal in the face of small failures and setbacks. Making a change is a journey that can contain rough patches. Be willing to recommit to your decision to change and persist in the face of reversals.
Celebrate the small victories along your journey
As you start working to make the change, make certain that you have written a detailed plan to get there. When you reach each small milestone that you have set for yourself, take time to celebrate. This can help you to stay enthusiastic so that you are less likely to lose interest. For example, if your goal is to lose 50 pounds, consider celebrating by rewarding yourself for each five-pound increment that you lose.
Making a big change in your life is not a simple process. Taking the time to prepare yourself before beginning your journey can help you to amass the tools that you will need to succeed. To learn more about planning to make a change in your life, call us today or fill out our contact form.
