(GoHealthier.com) – Many of us can benefit from lifestyle changes. Regardless of what time of the year we try implementing change into our lives, it can present challenges. Even more difficult than making lifestyle changes is making them stick.
Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to transform your life. Let’s take a look at six ways to make a lifestyle change stick.
| Quick Read: Lifestyle changes often include goals that are weight or health-related. Plans may also be financial or based on better relationships. Some people want to travel, do something new, or learn a skill. No matter what kind of lifestyle a person wants, there are ways to get it. Read on to find out the best ways to make lifestyle changes stick. |
A Lifestyle Change May Be Easier With These Tips.
1. Dream Big (With a Dash of Realism)
Whether we desire to lose 50 pounds, climb a mountain or pursue a different career, our goals and the lifestyle changes we need to make can feel out of reach. No matter what our dreams are, we can make them a reality.
But we should be aware that some things aren’t easily attainable. Be realistic about time, talent and resources, and then set a “stretch goal.” If that goal is just a little past what we think we may be able to do, we might change our lifestyle in pursuit of it — even if the goal is never completely reached.
2. Break It Down Into Small Steps
Small steps lead to big changes over time. Even just one little thing, when practiced with consistency, may add up to a lot of change over weeks, months, or years. The time will pass anyway, so there’s nothing to lose by working toward the things that feel important.
Everyone has things that matter to them. When choosing to move in the direction of dreams and goals, one little thing at a time may make it easier to avoid overwhelm or giving up.
3. Understand When Change is Not Needed
There might be areas in life where change isn’t necessary or even encouraged. When something is working well, why change it? We should carefully evaluate areas of our lives and determine whether change is wanted and/or needed. Adjusting our lifestyle may not stick if it’s actually less effective or valuable than the way we were doing things originally.
For example, if we’re already at a healthy BMI, we might not make it a goal to lose weight. Instead, we might choose to implement strength and conditioning into our workouts to see more tone and definition.
4. Choose Proper Ways to Reward Yourself
Rewards are important. Lifestyle changes take time and reaching milestones while working toward them can feel like major victories. Planning some small rewards for milestones can provide extra incentive to keep heading in the right direction.
When choosing a reward, make sure they’re good choices and compatible with achieving our long-term goals. For example, someone who’s working hard to lose weight might not want to choose a food-based reward. There are many other great ways to reward small victories, whether it’s buying new clothes or spending a day at the spa.
5. Commit to the Difficult Days, as Well as the Easy Ones
Not every day is the same. Some days, it’s easy to stick with a lifestyle change, while other days will require more discipline. By committing to the future, those harder days might be handled better. Even if some mistakes are made or when an old lifestyle tries to creep back in, not giving up is vital. Look for ways to stay committed to the future. Sometimes that might mean just not going backward, and that’s okay too.
6. Let the Past Be Your Guide and Teacher
There’s a reason the past gets left behind because people grow and change. But there may be important lessons that could help shape the future. Learning from past mistakes or problems may make a lifestyle change easier. Knowing what to do matters, but knowing what not to do and what simply doesn’t work is just as significant. Hang onto the lessons of the past while moving into the future. If something didn’t work in the past, come up with a new game plan for the future.
Remember to be patient when working on a lifestyle change. It may take some trial and error to get things just right. It might also mean good days and bad days when it comes to levels of success. With persistence, we’ll set ourselves up for a brighter future where we achieve our lifestyle goals.
~Here’s to a Healthier Life!
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