How many times in a day or week do you think about something in your
life that you would like to change? Perhaps it is a desire to change jobs, eat
healthier, stay more positive, move to a new city or make a change in a
personal relationship. Recognizing the need for change is always the first step
in the transition process but how often do we find ourselves unable to move to
the next step toward making that change? Fear sets in when we think about all
that is involved in making the transformation, all the unknown factors we must
face and fear keeps you stuck! For some people it is easier to stay stuck in a
life situation rather than face the fear. But why not face the fear?
William Bridges, author of Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes, says that “every transition begins with an ending. We have to let go of the old thing before we can pick up the new…” In trying to figure out why change is often viewed as such a scary thing, I can’t help but wonder if perhaps the letting go of the “old thing” is actually the scary part and not necessarily the unknown of the future? So how can you take the steps needed and push fear aside?
Start by getting rid of clutter, not the clutter in your home-unless that is the change you are trying to make! But rather the emotional clutter, the negative thoughts about yourself, self-judgments you hold. Look at how you have handled change in the past and evaluate the coping skills you were able to use to get through that transition. If coping skills were lacking, then perhaps consider what strategies you need to learn this time around-having a support system in place can make a huge difference in your ability to successfully get through a life transition.
Change often requires reprogramming the mind (the way you think about things) and a whole lot of inspiration! I am a huge fan of the methods used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT helps to change the way we think about our beliefs, ideas or attitudes. One of the methods used is guided imagery-which utilizes the imagination to create a vision. In other words, you can visualize the change you are seeking, and imagine what that change looks and feel like. The more positive reinforcement and detail within the image the better- but it is also important to keep it simple at first. The basic idea is to then try to recreate the positive experience envisioned in the guided imagery exercise. If big changes are what you seek, it can sometimes help to break it down into smaller goals and work your way up.
However big or small the change is that you want, fear should not stand in your way from making it happen. Do not let yourself become overwhelmed by change but rather embrace it and accept it.
William Bridges, author of Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes, says that “every transition begins with an ending. We have to let go of the old thing before we can pick up the new…” In trying to figure out why change is often viewed as such a scary thing, I can’t help but wonder if perhaps the letting go of the “old thing” is actually the scary part and not necessarily the unknown of the future? So how can you take the steps needed and push fear aside?
Start by getting rid of clutter, not the clutter in your home-unless that is the change you are trying to make! But rather the emotional clutter, the negative thoughts about yourself, self-judgments you hold. Look at how you have handled change in the past and evaluate the coping skills you were able to use to get through that transition. If coping skills were lacking, then perhaps consider what strategies you need to learn this time around-having a support system in place can make a huge difference in your ability to successfully get through a life transition.
Change often requires reprogramming the mind (the way you think about things) and a whole lot of inspiration! I am a huge fan of the methods used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT helps to change the way we think about our beliefs, ideas or attitudes. One of the methods used is guided imagery-which utilizes the imagination to create a vision. In other words, you can visualize the change you are seeking, and imagine what that change looks and feel like. The more positive reinforcement and detail within the image the better- but it is also important to keep it simple at first. The basic idea is to then try to recreate the positive experience envisioned in the guided imagery exercise. If big changes are what you seek, it can sometimes help to break it down into smaller goals and work your way up.
However big or small the change is that you want, fear should not stand in your way from making it happen. Do not let yourself become overwhelmed by change but rather embrace it and accept it.
To learn more about CBT or to find a CBT trained therapist in your area please click here
No comments:
Post a Comment