Ambivalent about Change?

On any one day our minds can haunt us something we need to change.  There’s always something you’ve wanted to do but can’t seem to get yourself to do it.  Messages you play in your head such as:

• You need to clean up your diet!
• You really should be exercising more!
• Why isn’t sleep a priority?

We end up feeling guilty much of the time but somehow we just can’t seem to find the motivation to make our thoughts turn into action.  What is going on?

Maybe you’re not ready.  The truth is there are stages of change with any type of behavior modification.  A researcher named Prochaska actually came up with them when he was studying smokers and the stages they go through in quitting.

The stages are:

• Pre-contemplation
• Contemplation
• Preparation
• Action
• Maintenance

We actually start to move through the stages when we’re ready.  With some behaviors you go through the stages 10-15 times before you are ready and exit which is why many try to quit smoking 5 times before they actually succeed.  You might start and stop a lifestyle food plan many times before you actually maintain it.

The research shows relapse is the rule – not the exception.

You can’t force yourself into action if you’re in pre-contemplation and sometimes you need help in moving through the stages with someone who knows how to talk about it.

This weekend I co-ran a workshop on Motivational Interviewing in Los Angeles for health-care professionals and was reminded how we are all ambivalent about something. 

Beating yourself into change is not helpful and can be harmful in the long run.  If you want to make a change but are unsure how to go about it, consider someone skilled in Motivational Interviewing.  There are about 1000 MINTie’s in the US and you can find a MINT trainer on motivationalinterviewing.org

If you want to make a change or maybe see results with those goals floating in your mind then perhaps it’s time to create action on your journey.

Ask yourself what stage you are in and what it might take to move you to the next stage?  It is a gentler process with long lasting results.

Search in Help of Lifestyle Change?

Many of you may have heard me talk about my involvement in Motivational Interviewing.  A few years back I became interested in this new language or way of speaking with those who are interested in behavior change.

Generally people see health practitioners because they want to change, but something gets in the way and they are searching for a way out.  A year ago I was educated in Motivational Interviewing and it changed my life and how I conduct my practice.

Motivational Interviewing is defined as a client-centered guiding method of communication and counseling to elicit and strengthen motivation for change.  Simply put – it is helping individuals explore and resolve their ambivalence to change and nurture hope and confidence to change.

When Michelangelo created David he said David was in the stone – he just had to bring it him out.  In the same way the capacity and potential for change and adherence is within us all.

The paradox of change:  when a person feels accepted for who they are and what they can do – no matter how unhealthy – it allows them the freedom to consider change rather than needing to defend against it.

If you are reading this article and want to make a lifestyle change but have been resisting against it, consider working with someone who is “MINT” trained.  You can find the list of trainers on motivationalinterview.org.