Creating lasting changes in our lives is hard. Change typically comes with some level of discomfort and as humans we are not wired to seek out discomfort. Instead, we are wired to seek out pleasure and that's fine until it negatively impacts our health and well-being. Over the years of making changes in my own life as well as coaching others on their journey, I have observed 3 things necessary for change: awareness, consistency, and gratitude.
Awareness is a big one and is multi-faceted. To be aware requires is to be conscious and again our bodies are not automatically wired to be conscious. In fact, we operate most of our lives unconsciously due to the sheer amount of information we receive each second. This is compounded by the speed at which we are able to also consume information. Awareness of self is critical to successfully creating lasting change.
This is different from self-awareness, which is also an important facet of awareness. Awareness of self is understanding who we are and who we are not. It is linked to your mindset; and the thoughts, ideas, and beliefs you hold about yourself. Do you know what these are, or have you ever thought about that before? What are the words you are using internally? Awareness of self requires us to recognize our inner dialogue and take conscious control of the narrative. When you gain more awareness of self, you can better lead with response rather than reaction.
Second is consistency. Repeating thoughts and behaviors help them become more unconscious over time. When we are first learning something - which is what change is - learning new thought and behavior patterns - it requires our energy and effort consistently to master it. Without consistency, it is easy to fall back into old habits. Closely link with consistency is discipline. We are not always going to "feel" like doing something and we have to act on discipline rather than our feelings.
Finally, gratitude and this one often surprises people. My last post was on energy and the power of energy. When we choose to lead with gratitude and positivity, out outlook, perspective, and situations change. Positive energy attracts positive people and outcomes. Negative energy operates in a similar fashion. This is why it is important to lead from a place of gratitude. Try this out - the next time you are frustrated or annoyed, think of something you are grateful for and watch out your mood and focus shift. Stay in that energy vibration and you would be amazed how things change.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, rather a short list of trends I have observed and experienced over time that lead to creating sustainable change that transform the trajectory of lives.
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