How To Keep Those Resolutions!

Truth be told I'm not a fan of resolutions because it relies on the magic of you being someone different on January 1st and that is dependent on willpower.  Change is very doable when you have the right tools, but willpower isn't the most successful tool for this process.

Have you ever wondered why willpower doesn’t work? Have you heard that nasty voice in your head saying, “what’s wrong with you that you can’t “just do it?” And to make matters worse, you now feel horrible about yourself because you don’t have any “willpower” and you feel like a failure?  Yep, I get it because I’ve been there.  We've probably all been there.
 
The concept of willpower focuses your attention on what you don’t want and tends to keep you fixated on that unwanted thing even more.  The more you think about not eating that pie (or having that drink, smoking that cigarette, or whatever your issue is), the more your attention goes to that “issue.”
 
To change an ingrained habit, the one thing that will truly create lasting change is building new neural pathways in your brain.  The process is based on a scientific concept called “neuroplasticity,” which states that your brain is always changing and you can create new pathways and establish new habits.  And, to be clear ('cuz I can hear your brain coming up with excuses) it's never too late and you're not too old to change. Moving on! 

Your old behavior patterns are ingrained and comfortable. You’ve spent weeks, months, or years building up habits that create pathways in your brain that get very well worn with repeated use, like a familiar, well-traveled super-highway. It’s your “go-to” road to get from here to there.
 
But, what happens when you're ready to learn a new way and travel down a new road but you don't know how to change?  You've tried the age-old tradition of resolutions and gritting your teeth with willpower and you just can't seem to make it stick.

I have some good news for you.  You simply haven't had the right tools.   There are processes you can incorporate that will help build new pathways in your brain and will enable you to change or incorporate a new habit. It takes some time and repetition, but it works and it will stick with you way past January! 

I have condensed my process into six simple steps.
 
“Six Steps to Shift”

1. Start with INTENTION: Identify the habit you’d like to change, set the intention to do so. When you have a strong intention to change, then building new neural pathways (new highways) in your brain will become inevitable.
2. Shift your ATTENTION: There is a saying that “energy flows where attention goes.” Shifting your attention to that which you want to experience in your life will send positive energy to that new wanted thing. Some examples: if you want to improve your diet, when faced with a box of donuts, shift your attention to healthy foods, feeling great, and wearing that beautiful dress.  If you want to quit smoking, shift your attention to clear lungs, no headaches, and more energy.
3. Incorporate VISUALIZATION: Imagine and visualize how you will feel when you have adopted your new behavior(s). Use all your senses to imagine the new you. Embody a new level of confidence. Visualize yourself in that new dress. Feel the wind in your hair as you soar down the road on your bike. Soak in the feeling of being empowered and free. Use your imagination and visualize every detail you can muster. Imagination and visualization are powerful tools.
4. Start MEDITATING: You don’t have to become a monk. Simply sit quietly for 10-20 minutes every day. When you quiet your mind, you have greater connection with a higher source. That connection is invaluable.
5. Don’t be afraid to REACH OUT: Ask for help. We go further and faster when we do it together. Some habits can be ingrained in past traumatic experiences that may take some extra tools to break through. Ask for help. Ask whomever you feel comfortable with. I'm always available for a 1/2 hour free consult to explore if working with me is a good fit.
6. Keep a JOURNAL: Write down your successes, however small, and celebrate them! Just be sure to celebrate in a healthy way.

So, back to the superhighway analogy…

Put the car in drive and make a conscious decision that you are NOT going to take the old road today (old habit). Today you are going to begin traveling a new road, however unused and bumpy it is right now.  Be patient and go easy with yourself.  In time, with repeated use, this bumpy road will get easier to use.  That old habit will begin to deteriorate and you just won’t want to go that way anymore.
 
And that, my friends, is how we build new neural pathways in our brains!  It takes intention and repeated action to start wearing in new neural pathways.  After a while those new choices are easy, they are your new superhighway.

Schedule a complementary (never any pressure) 1/2 hour chat with me to answer any questions you may have.   Go to my homepage and scroll down to select "schedule appointment,"
Homepage: http://www.beingbeautifullybalanced.com/ 

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