by Lori Heagney
Are you the type of person who makes a New Year’s Resolution only to find that three weeks later it has gone out the window? Did you know that only about 8% of us will keep working toward our goal and see it through to completion? Well, there’s a reason for that. New Year’s Resolutions focus on behaviors that we want to make in our lives. Typically we are all in and engage our willpower to accomplish these goals. That’s where we go wrong. Willpower alone rarely gets us across the finish line. So what will? The answer is that change must start in the mind. Let’s take a look at how it works.
There is a science to change. According to the “Stages of Change Model” introduced by Prochaska & DiClementi, it begins when we start thinking about what we want to change. We need to “Contemplate” the consequences of “not changing”. What will happen if we continue with the status quo? Until the consequences of our life choices really add up and we own them, we usually stay stuck. This can be a sobering experience, but it can also be very motivating.
Once we have agreed that change is necessary, we must “Prepare” and come up with a plan. How will we accomplish our goal? Take the time to research what works for your particular issue. Do you want to save money? Consult a book or a financial advisor. Do you want to lose weight? Talk with your doctor or dietician about a plan that will work for your body type. Want to make some emotional changes or work on your marriage? Set an appointment with a counselor. If we don’t plan it out, we are more likely to resort to “all or nothing” thinking and rely on willpower alone. As previously mentioned, this usually leads to giving up.
Now that you have taken the time to prepare, it’s time to put your plan into “Action”. This is the stage of change in which you acquire and apply new skills to your problem. When you work diligently on renewing your mind about your problem this will lead to new behavioral outcomes. It’s important to surround yourself with encouraging people. Write notes to yourself and post them on your mirror. Recognize that small incremental changes are still change and they add up. Keep going! You can do it!
Congratulations, you’ve reached your goal! However, it’s not time to slack off! You need to keep up with the skills and mindset you learned in the action stage in order to “Maintain” your new behaviors. Neurobiology is on your side. According to Dr. Caroline Leaf, research shows that we can make new thought patterns in only 21-60 days. Once our mind has changed, we have a new way to perceive our problems and are less likely to resort to old behaviors.
Change is possible, if you use the right tools. If you need help with getting on the right track, we at Summit Wellness Centers, PLLC would love to help you reach your goal and keep it. Take the next step in the process of change and give us a call today.
*Caroline Leaf, 2015. Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health.
*Prochaska & DiCemente, 1983, Stages of Change Model.
Lori graduated from Southeastern College of the Assemblies of God (now Southeastern University) in Lakeland, Florida in 1990 with a BA in Psychology. She earned her Master’s in Mental Health Counseling at Stetson University in Deland, Florida in 1997. She was licensed in Florida as a Mental Health Counselor in 2000. She became licensed in the state of North Carolina as a Licensed Professional Counselor in 2009 after moving to NC in the fall of 2008. She is on the professional counselor referral network for Focus on the Family, a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), and a contributor to the Blog for Summit Wellness Centers.Lori joined the team of Summit Wellness Centers after having been in practice with A Clear Word Counseling Center since 2010. Prior to this she practiced in the community mental health and substance abuse field in both inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities since 1987. She has a great passion for neurobiology and helping empower individuals to recognize their God-given ability to be “Transformed by the renewing of their mind (Romans 12:2).” Her areas of expertise include working with mental health issues of depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder as well as extensive experience in women’s issues, divorce recovery, tween/teen issues, grief, and couples/marital therapy. Lori is the proud mother of two wonderful girls. She enjoys home improvement projects, gardening, and time spent in the beautiful outdoors of North Carolina with her family.
