Change is a motion. “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything“, George Bernard Shaw said. Change is an active decision. Do it or talk about it? Breaking with the past, bending your destiny, and creating a ‘New You‘ can become reality if you set a goal and plan.
Shaping the future is all about realizing that you are not an Actor, but The Director of your life. You can continue to dream — or take action. Mid-life we have the experience to enable us to look back — and forward. How do we move from dreaming to doing? The secret lies in being the change you want to see. Read on how to break, bend and shape that road you now want to travel.
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Change : Taking Stock
Change is about taking stock of where life stands now. You come to the realisation that something has to give. Perhaps ‘life’ reminds you that you are fragile, and need to take a breather?
Maybe you see that your talents lie elsewhere, and now is the time to change things up and become your own boss? Whatever your wellness decision is based on – a shift of gears means taking stock of your ‘now’ to enable tomorrow. Tip: Learn more about our Coaching Services
Start by making a list of what works in your life. Count your blessings, and realize that not everything has to change. Often we look at that wanted future and think we have to change ‘it all’ – and you stop right there. You sink back, and decide to return to the safety of your routine, boring job and tricky health road. Think again, and consider the high cost of doing nothing.
Change: Road Blocks and Reality
You have family, health considerations, financial obligations and that future that you wish for.
When we are no longer able to change a situation – we are challenged to change ourselves. – Viktor E. Frankl
A small step gets you going, and bit by bit other parts fall into place. This approach works because you will not fall at the to fall at the first hurdle. Seeing what works in your life enables you to be more aware of what needs to be preserved carefully before making a change action plan. 
Change : Set Goal, Plan and Act
Action and Go? No – a goal without a plan is but a wish. Making a good plan isn’t as hard as it sounds. First – you have to formulate a goal.
A goal is a desired result you see, plan and commit to achieve. Goal setting and planning promotes long-term vision and short-term motivation. It focuses intention, desire, acquisition of knowledge, and helps to organise resources.
If you your goal is to run a marathon, you need to plan to get through the finishing line. And perhaps running that marathon isn’t the goal but something so much bigger – like it is for Simon (Do read his story, and donate to Cancer Research UK)
Change: Confronting Excuses, Guilt and Saboteurs
To really work out what your goal should be you need to recognise excuses, resolve guilt, inner conflict or self-confidence issues. You also have to confront those who through their limiting belief will sabotage your efforts. It can be a good idea to take the help of a wellness or career coach to work this out. Feel free to contact The GOODista for more information. 
The motherly misguided advice who thinks you should stop for tea and cookies on the way to the gym has to be confronted – and overall by dealing with the stoppers you are on your way to a healthier life 🙂 .
By setting clearly defined goals, you can then measure and take pride in the achievement of the mini goals on the way. Long-term vision and short-term motivation: Progress in what might have seemed a long, perhaps impossible, grind.
Wellness and balance is perhaps the bigger goal, but breaking it into feasible smaller bits makes the plan actionable and achievable. By seeing what works in your life, allows you to decide what really needs to be targeted. You can work in your realities (family, finance and resources) and make it come together gradually. Planning is easiest done through a SMART plan. Your goal will never be the same as another persons and your wellness is defined by you.
Change: Your Goal Can’t Be Someone Else’s
Figuring out why you want something is about looking back, taking stock now – and getting inspired for a different tomorrow. We are all individuals with our own set of challenges and experiences.
Losing weight is one of those so-called goals, but in fact if you look at why you want to lose the real reason is so much deeper than that and the weight loss becomes a pleasurable side effect. Weight loss because other people tells you makes no sense.
Be The Change
You have to see the real reason why this matters to you deep down. Then you have to decide that you actually want to get long-lasting permanent health for yourself. The goal should be long-term yet one you can clearly see. Even if it seems challenging to reach that goal — by seeing the ‘new you’ puts you in a different frame of mind. Be the change you want to see!
Parents have a habit of transporting their dreams onto their children. ‘Make money’, ‘Become a Female President’, ‘Play like Tiger Woods’ are all expressions of such well-meant wishes that instills less ambition and more guilt ridden pressures.
Understanding what is your vision rather than someone else’s makes your dream achievable The point is to look at what your bigger wish is, and setting mini goals to get there. Your dream will be your reality – not anyone else’s, right?
Change: Mid-life Crisis or Reality Check
All our experiences contribute to where we stand today, which is great when you want to make a change. Your collective knowledge creates a base, a stepping stone and a reference frame that contributes greatly to your new you.
If You Want….
A new job, your current one is part of your life story – curriculum vitae – and makes someone want to hire you. Coaching - To be your own boss, your current stress levels, financials and obligations makes you act with careful planning and mature consideration.
- Lead a healthier life you have the experience to know what works and not, and the maturity to follow through with your plan.
Tip: Amazon has a great range of books with practical tips on how to action your change.
Change: Break, Bend and Shape
Breaking up is never easy – but if you trust that you can change, break and shape a new future the ‘before and after’ will be so worth it. Taking action to actually do rather than just talk is part of making if happen. If you list, and confront your excuses, you will see what is ‘words’ and what is achievable ‘challenges’.
Change: Tomorrow Never Comes
If you want more out of life you often have clues how to achieve this – but ‘time’, ‘kids’ and ‘tomorrow’ stops us in our tracks, right? Tomorrow never comes if you don’t take five minutes to assess what you want and not.
Move from ‘maybe’ to ‘action’. A small step get you on the way: Do that CV, find out more information, get yourself organised with freeze-ahead healthy meals, and sign up for that gym class. What is an excuse and can become a challenge – is what makes us actually Do It – Change…
Change In Motion
Daring to stop, taking stock and seeing what we want is an achievement in itself. Seeing change makes change possible. Change is motion, a road and an active participation in your own life. You are not a passenger any more – but the driver.
Stop, take stock, plan, act, assess, Do It ! ….Change.
Let us know how you confronted your excuses and made your dreams come true? Use the comment box below and share 🙂
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Recommended and Related:
- Obstacles to Change – Psycologytoday.com
- Meet Your Goals with MAP – Tony Robbins Blog
- Life Altering Lifestyle Change – thegoodista.com
- 7 Tips to Help You Slow Down and Enjoy Life – Tinybuddha.com
- How To Change Your Life – A Life Less Bullshit
- 10 Steps to Change Your Life – Entrepreneur.com
