Change is the only constant they say. We tend to spend a lot of time fighting the tides of change and yet, still....
change gonna come whether we like it or not.
Yesterday morning it was bright and sunny and guess what? It's grey and cloudy. We are used to changes in the weather here in Boston but that doesn't prevent us from complaining about it that's for sure.
So if change is a given...especially in the process of wanting things to be bettered...than how on God's green Earth do we embrace it?
Well that's where Bob and his therapist come in. Baby steps through the office. Baby steps to the door. Baby steps into the hallway. WOW it works! God don't you just LOVE Bob, I mean Bill Murray....oh who cares, you get the picture. We can ALL relate a bit to Bob's struggles with change.
I mean seriously....Who isn't a little bit (or a lotta bit) neurotic these days? Life is hard. Change can sometimes be even harder; especially when it hits you upside the head which can at times be the case. Even if we are totally miserable, it's often the ole "devil you know" that keeps us stuck in a rut.
In my therapy practice and work as a stress management trainer I am often helping people to see that it's ALL about the baby steps. Baby steps make change possible.
What is SO incredibly hard about change? Well for one, I work with high achieving Type A types. Man the struggle is REAL. I should know....I am one. Type A folks are used to thinking of life as a ladder that needs to be climbed and there is only one way and that is UP. Any backward change that occurs is felt in the body and mind as a bottomless well of failure. This is magnified by the face that most, if not all, Type A folks are perfectionists. Since backward steps are a part of any change process, this is the conundrum for members of "The Club."
I always say I am a person in recovery from being Type A. It's a day at a time. Most of the time more like a moment at a time. Change is like that though....it takes time. Progress is slow and for me, building my own business has taken me deep into the depths of these aspects of my personality. So......
I get it. I really do.
But what about this concept of baby steps? Is it possible to envision that a bunch of little steps could possibly lead to something bigger?
Ok now is the time when you all repeat the word
YES!
AHHHHH that was not so convincing.
Let's do it again....1, 2, 3
YES!
Ok...better. Change doesn't occur over night. It does take time. In order to start any change, you need to actually START doing SOMETHING.
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
I am often talking to my clients about under promising. So instead of saying you will drink the ole 8 ounces of water 8 times a day when you don't even drink water, you will say to your self"I will have one 8 ounce glass of water once a day for 3 days this coming week." You can also commit to buying an aluminum water bottle, filling it and bringing it to work with you. Next you can commit to actually drinking from it during the day. Pick one of the brightly colored bottles so you actually see it before you head out for ANOTHER cup of coffee when the yawn starts a happening.
Voila....change just happened!
I know sounds simplistic but it's all about commitment. If you are in the Type A club you have NO PROBLEM committing to things. But commitment towards health and wellness requires a commitment to YOU. It means that you are not just working on achieving something for the sake of achievement but that you are actually working towards increasing your quality of life and sense of well-being.
The shift to committing to making changes for you rather than just to advance your career or financial standing in the world is YUGE for Type A folks. And further do that by taking baby steps is like GINORMOUS.
For me, the changes I made to become healthier came with much resistance. I like to do things on my terms, when I am ready. I tend to rebel against any type of authority. Change came when I listened really clearly to how I was feeling in my body with the things that I was resisting changing. Once I became aware and present, there was no turning back.
So how are you feeling these days?
Are there behaviors, relationships, jobs, etc that you are engaged in that don't feed your spirit?
Ever find yourself complexly exhausted and wonder why?
Or maybe feel unfulfilled in your life and want to make a change but don't know where to start?
You are not alone.
My suggestion is to take a deep breath, commit to yourself and take that first Baby Step. Need some help along the way from someone who totally and complexly gets it? Give a shout out. I'm your girl. Before you know it, your baby steps will bring you towards change in a way that you probably never would have imagined.
Cheers to taking baby steps towards a healthier and happier YOU!
