Change is difficult, but achievable. Many times I counsel patients who are seeking an answer or plan to remedy their situation. It can be to lose weight, eat better, exercise more or save money on their medications. Once the topic of changing behavior is brought up, I could see the resignation in their eyes. Change is difficult, but many times patients give up before attempting to make the journey.

The nature of changing behavior is almost a mind-altering event. In the “old” behavior, attention was either non-existent or placed on the behavior that brought the patient to the point at which they find themselves. This is the effect of their decision to rely on external factors to provide some solution to their problem. After finding themselves in an “unhealthy” place, or in a “hopeless” situation, a mental switch flips and an internal evaluation takes place. Most often I hear, “How did I end up here?”

This is the point where the patient has reached the “fork in the road”… decision time. Do they continue along the same behavioral track or make a decision to better their health? Most tend to “stay the course” because the work required to effect a change is too difficult. The few who decide to make the effort must be made to understand that the journey is not going to be smooth and easy. It’s going to involve some tough times re-programming their minds to initiate new behaviors that will eventually lead to new and improved habits and healthy outcomes. This is the light at the end of the tunnel. Those that take the leap, reap the rewards. But how can they do this?

I have found it all comes down to goal-setting, desire and attention. Goal-setting creates the new “cause” internally, desire is the motivating fuel needed to effect change, and consistent attention on the process creates new actions. These new actions will become new behaviors that transform into new habits through positive reinforcement by observing progress towards the goal. It is self-fulfilling and it is possible, though not easy. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

I hope this provides a key in taking the first step towards initiating a positive change in your health goals.

Until next week, stay well.

Dion