We’re now on the third week of January. How is your first 19 days of 2018 so far? And for those who made a new year’s resolution – are you still on track?
Last week, I shared with you how there are many approaches in creating a change in one’s life and that each of these approaches have success stories. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that each of these approaches would work for everyone. One thing that could be stopping you from creating a lasting change and living your best life is that you haven’t found the right kind of approach yet. If you haven’t read last week’s blog post, check it out here.
I also shared there what some of my mentors have got to say about making a lasting change in one’s life. When you understand these key concepts, you will start to see your journey in a more positive light. And hopefully, you will be able to take on this journey of being your best self with more joy, hope, and ease as I have.
1. WHAT DOES YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND BELIEVE IN?
The thing about our minds is that our subconscious mind is more powerful than our conscious mind. So you might have found yourself wanting to change. You told yourself that you are going to change. Your conscious mind is saying that you can change. But if your subconscious mind is saying otherwise, you will soon find yourself sabotaging your efforts.
What do you need to do? You got to get clear on what your subconscious is saying. What are your limiting beliefs? What are the dialogues in your head? If you want to create lasting change and you want to live your best life – start with changing your mindset by taking on new beliefs. What comes after your “I AM” and the feelings that you associate with this statement greatly determines your reality. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. So be sure to choose words that empower and lift you up.
2. WHAT IS YOUR BIG WHY?
One of the common things that I’ve learned from people who are not able to stay on their goals is that at some point, they lose their motivation. And when they lose their motivation, they stop pushing themselves to work on their goals and they let go of the desire to create the change in their lives. At least until the next new year. But what if, instead of just finding the motivation to change, we first define our BIG WHY, our life’s purpose, our reason for being? And then, envision what is your ideal life? What is the VISION you have for your life? And then, align and anchor your goals with your life’s purpose and your life’s vision.
Why do you want to change in the first place? Is it just to lose some pounds? No, you want to be healthy so you can still play with your grandchildren. Is it just to get a good-paying job? No, you want the time and money freedom so that you can love wholly and live fully. Be clear on your BIG WHY and allow yourself to be pulled by a greater and more powerful vision.
3. THE 3 I’s of TAKING ACTION
One of the biggest game-changer for me is understanding how our brain has evolved over the years and how it works to protect us. When we introduce change in our lives, our survival instincts kick in because we are taken out of what’s routine, safe, and comfortable. Our brain really can’t distinguish what’s life-threatening or not. It just wants to protect us, so it resists change. Good thing that we can re-wire our brains! And this is where taking imperfect, inspired, and incremental actions come in. I’ll probably write another post focusing on these three I’s later.
What you need to remember for now is that our aim here is to build our momentum and our muscles in taking action. We want to not trip our brain’s alarm systems by taking small (seemingly useless) steps and adding to it overtime. We want to slowly increase our comfort zone by taking baby steps outside our current comfort zone. So start asking yourself every day, “What is one small action step that I can do today to help me move my vision forward?” And then do it.
4. SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Create an environment that would support the change you want to make in your life. By environment, I’m not just talking about the physical space. I’m also talking about the kind of person you are embodying, the self-dialogue you allow in your head, the information you’re feeding your mind, the people you surround yourself with, and the energy you are allowing in your space. There is so much more to explore on this topic so I’ll write another post about this later.
For now, just ask yourself these questions: Who do I need to become to realize the vision I have for myself? What do I need to do and what do I need to let go of to realize my vision? Who can I ask for help and what kind of help do I need from this person? Who can hold me accountable? What resources and tools can I use to make this vision a reality? Is there a community that I can join so that I can be surrounded with positive, supportive, like-minded people who I can journey with?
5. EXPECT SETBACKS, THIS IS JUST PART OF THE PROCESS
This is another game-changer for me. It took me years to fully understand and accept that setbacks are part of the process of creating a lasting change in our lives. The thing is, the habits and beliefs that we have in our lives right now are formed over time. Especially with our beliefs, these are usually formed during our formative years. How old are you now? That’s how long your current beliefs and habits have been with you (more or less).
Don’t expect yourself to change overnight. Don’t expect your change to be linear because it won’t be. If you have found yourself stumbling, tripping, falling, and going several steps back along the way – congratulations! You’re human. That is just part of this beautiful journey of being your best self. And when we fully realize this, then it is easier for us to be gentle with ourselves.
It’s easier for us to forgive ourselves for not knowing what we didn’t know before. It’s easier for us to tell ourselves, “It’s okay. It’s not the end of the world. Let’s just start over.” And as humans, we are also designed to learn and grow. Knowing what you know now, with the experiences you’ve had, you can now start over on a better slate. You can ask yourself, “What could be better? What can I do differently?”
There you have it! There is so much more to share but I don’t want to overwhelm you. And really, one blog post is not enough. But I hope that with these five key concepts, you could start (over again) your journey to making that lasting change in your life.
Whatever goals, vision, or intention you’ve set for yourself this year – know that I am sending you loving thoughts and good vibes.
I believe in you and your possibilities!
Continue your journey, enjoy the process, and embrace the gifts that life is giving you along the way.
If you need more help in making lasting change in your life, I’d be happy to talk with you and see if there’s anything that I can do to help and support you. Just send me your message here.
Much love,
Jostine
P.S.
If you were inspired by this blog post, maybe you’ll enjoy reading more about my personal growth journey in my book, Thank Goodness I Got Lost! Buy your copy now and get it at a special PRE-SALE price. CLICK HERE for more details.