Updated: Oct 21, 2021

YOU NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT JUST CAN’T GET STARTED?

Don’t be discouraged… it’s completely normal.

Have you ever been stuck in a rut, where you tell yourself that you desperately need to make a change? Perhaps you're constantly trying to keep pace with your workload, or you’ve just been feeling lethargic and unmotivated. Maybe you haven’t been feeling good about your appearance, and you’ve been making every excuse not to go out with your friends… but you still miss connecting with them desperately.

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You’ve analyzed your situation a thousand times over, you’ve listened to motivational podcasts on Spotify, and you’ve even typed up a list of steps you can take to turn things around.

Despite all this, you just can’t seem to muster the mental or physical energy to do the things that need to get done.

Guess what? THAT’S OK.

In fact, hesitation or a lack of motivation is a completely normal experience that all of us go through.

In today’s fast-paced world that seems to be spinning faster than ever, we are always told that we need to change, evolve and keep pace - or risk getting left behind. While this may be true when it comes to business and technology... it isn’t so easy for us, humans. Unlike machines, we have emotions, feelings, hopes, fears and dreams.

“Upgrading” our selves is a much more delicate, complicated and nuanced process than upgrading an operating system or a business plan. And we must treat it as such.

The 5 Stages Of Change

Just because we acknowledge the need for change doesn’t necessarily mean we’re ready for it. We shouldn’t beat ourselves up for not being more proactive, nor should we jump into problem-solving mode too quickly without being emotionally, mentally and/or physically prepared for the process.

If you truly crave lasting change, take the time to understand your readiness for change. This stages of change model shows that we move through a five-stage model of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance.

Moving through each of these stages requires specific strategies to help you succeed and progress to the next one. Given the cyclical nature of your self-improvement journey, there will be lapses and relapses, which are bound to happen because we are humans, after all. So it is important to give ourselves some grace.

You don’t have to go at it alone.

Coping with mental and emotional challenges can be a very isolating experience, as we don’t want to worry or “burden” our loved ones with our thoughts and feelings.

It is important to know that there are resources available to you. If you’d like to get started on this journey—or if you’d like to better understand your level of readiness for change, and what is holding you back—check out our “Getting Started” lesson plan here or chat with one of our ThoughtFull Professionals to get started on Mental Health Coaching.

ThoughtFull Professionals are credentialed mental health professionals. Through the chat, our Professionals will partner with you in a thought-provoking and creative process that will assist you in maximizing your personal and professional potential areas of your life.

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and our other social channels to get tips on emotional and mental wellbeing.

Read other Mental Wellness Resources:

• Languishing: The “Neglected Middle Child” of Mental Health
• The Power of Storytelling: Why Sharing Your Story Enhances Your Wellbeing