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The ability to change, or not has always been intriguing to me. Change can be one of the most difficult things to do even if it’s beneficial for us, so I decided to research some of the difficulties, benefits, and types of change we might experience.
Types of Change Permanent Change- Some changes have an all in effect on your life, i.e. having a baby is going to change your life without question. Change of Habit- This is a choice change that can better your life by making a positive change or you could also make a choice to change habits for the worse. Behavioral Change- Maybe you want to be friendlier or work on your temper. Cognitive Change- You want to change thoughts to be more positive and less worrisome. Although there are other types these four are the most interesting to me. Being a Coach we are typically dealing with people that want to better their lives and that involves change on some level. In my experience and most Coaches, we see that our first objective is to find out if our client actually wants change. Many times a client might have been urged by a spouse or a business partner to pursue change but the client is not ready or doesn't buy in to wanting it. In these cases we can’t help in achieving this change. Below are the five stages of change: 1. Precontemplation- In this stage your client has not truly identified any need to change. They are overweight and don't go to the gym or watch their diets, and ignore any derogatory health reports. 2. Contemplation- At this stage your client is weighing the Pros and Cons of making change and is aware that their unhealthy diet is contributing to their weight problem. 3. Preparation-This is where our client is ready to make the change and is ready to establish a plan and get to work. 4. Action-The concrete behavior takes place, our client is actively going to the gym and gaining excitement. 5. Maintenance- To me this stage is often over looked and critical, you must plan to maintain and keep your momentum going. Many times we allow things to get us off track like, vacations, holidays etc. It’s important to find out where your client is in these five stages, or you won’t be able to help them, in fact if they are in the first stage it’s unlikely you will be able to help at all. Embracing change seems to be easier said than done, we are confronted with, fear of discomfort, will it work? But avoiding it can stunt you from learning new things, your life will not move forward, the longer you wait the harder it gets, you also stop your growth as a person. We must be aware of our emotions and plan for the change we want and need, stick to the plan and work on removing any negative or challenging thoughts that might creep up to derail you. Embrace the change and be all you can be!!!!!
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