Changing Course in 2006
Part 1 of 2
Part 1: Stages of Change
By Dr. Robert Boxley
The only thing constant is change. With our New Year’s resolutions in hand, it is important to recognize that change may be more difficult than just giving up high-calorie desserts or getting on a treadmill. It is a more gradual process than resolving to start a new life tomorrow morning. In fact, psychologists James O. Prochaska, Ph. D. and Carlo C. DiClemente, Ph. D. have identified clear steps in the process of change. We draw upon some of their conclusions for this article.
Know exactly what you want to change. If you have decided that you need to change something about your life, you are already well into the process. Successful change, like a good paint job, is 90% preparation. If you have decided to make a specific change, you should first know precisely what you intend to do. If you are stopping a behavior that is within your ability to stop, what will you replace it with? If you are adding an activity, what will you give up to make room for it? People often set their goals too high at this stage. Remember, change should be do-able: don’t shoot for world peace.
Make a trail run at your proposed change. Go to the gym just to look around. Try low fat foods for just a weekend. You are collecting data on the challenges, obstacles and rewards that you will face. Develop ways to counter each obstacle/challenge or welcome each reward. For example, once you stop your three-pack-a-day smoking habit, you will have a lot of extra money. Plan to keep that money aside and buy something you love with it, regularly. It is your own private spoils of war. Also, remember that you are not alone: you need to include your environment and your friends in your planning.
Be fully prepared. Alfred Hitchcock once said he could see the whole movie in his head before he ever picked up a camera. Unfortunately, many people (and movie directors) jump to the “action” stage without adequate preparation. Because of this, most New Year’s resolutions and B-movies are gone before Valentine’s Day. Before you leap into stopping a habit or starting an activity, thoroughly review your preparation one more time. Are all your bases covered? Are your environment and your loved ones supportive of all aspects of the “new you”? Are you prepared for the loss that will come? Have you arranged regular rewards for yourself?
Just do it. If you answered yes, then you may be ready for the action stage. It will require you to act daily (or hourly) for the rest of your life. It is not a one-time fix where you proudly declare, “I am not a smoker anymore.” It is daily action to avoid cigarettes, their temptations, second-hand exposure, high-risk smoking times and physical cravings. It is daily action where you reward yourself for such a change (without fail), where your environment and loved ones are supportive and where you have resolved the loss of the old habit by embracing the “new you.”
Next article--Part 2: Maintaining Change
Dr. Robert Boxley is the supervising psychologist at Manatee Glens, adjunct professor at Argosy University’s Tampa Campus and private practitioner. He has provided mental health counseling for over 20 years at both out-patient and in-patient facilities and has provided assessments for various government agencies, private agencies and individuals.