Making a Change - How Can I Make a Change?

Written by: Ankita Kathad – MA (Clinical Psychology)

Last updated date : March 06, 2023

Have you been thinking of changing your life? or a certain aspect? Are you thriving to bring a change in the world around you? As humans, most of us want a fruitful life. At times we see our lives going downhill and all we want is to bring about a change. This article explores ways of making a change- small ones and big ones. Here’s your guide on how you can make a change.


“Very practical suggestions” Peter

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Chapter 1:

Why Do We Need to Make a Change?

Change is the law of nature. Nothing in this life can remain still. We all grow up and we all experience problems. Sometimes those problems need us to change. Sometimes entirely or sometimes just a part of us needs to change. Change is also a part of life. That is to say, when we grow up, we need to change as per the demands of our lives. Sometimes change is necessary because there is no other way.

Change can be good or bad. No matter what, it always leads to a shift or imbalance. This imbalance is the reason why people often fear change. For instance, we may need to change our residence when going to university from home. That is to say that we will have to go away from our family. Moreover, we may need to live on our own. This is why we may not initially like the change from school to college.

There are many reasons why we need to make a shift. In some cases, change is the only alternative. For instance, if we have lost our loved ones, we have no option but to get used to the change. In other cases, changing can enhance the existing life. For instance, a change in the diet regime can lead to a healthy lifestyle. When you change something in your community, it can benefit many people around you. Therefore change is an ongoing process.

It is not always easy to transform. Making a shift requires effort. It requires you to step out of your comfort zone. Sometimes we cannot avoid change. However, we have the power to respond in a way that makes the change positive. Change provides us with opportunities to improve ourselves.

Chapter 2:

Myths Around Making a Change

Whenever you are in the process of making a shift, there are many hurdles. Many people will want to bring a person down. Here are some myths about making a change:
  1. Something big has to occur if you want to make a change.
  2. Some people may comment, “You are too old to be making a change”.
  3. Moreover, some people will say, “Things have gone far too out of hand to make a change now”.
  4. Some people will say, “change is not going to do any good now”.

These statements can demotivate a person. However, it is important to trust in your potential. Naysayers are present everywhere. What matters the most is our Will to transform.

Chapter 3:

Create a Vision Board

A vision board can help you to put your important goals in one place. In our minds, the aims and goals are sometimes all scattered. There a vision board helps you organize your dreams. It helps us to visualize our goals and be creative about them. Additionally, you can include your long-term and short-term goals in them. You can also write about your resources, challenges, and available opportunities.

A vision board will act as a daily reminder for you to work hard on your dreams. It helps you bring a shift in reality. You can write about the changes you want to make. Moreover, you can create a plan on how you will make those changes.

Chapter 4:

Do It, No One Else Will!

You will have to push yourself to bring a shift. Nobody else can do it for you. Moreover, the change is going to benefit you therefore, you will have to go out of your comfort zone. Set multiple alarms, take help from friends to push you, or create a rewards system that helps you reinforce positive behaviors. If you don’t make a change now, you will regret it later.

Take that rough road and don’t be afraid of challenges. Old habits are very hard to break, however, it is not impossible to set yourself free. It takes time to set a new routine and implement it. The essential ingredient is persistence and consistency. Once you are regular, your new habits will become a part of life.

Chapter 5:

Take Risks!

If you want a transformation, don’t be afraid of risks. This involves stepping out of your comfort zone. Moreover, when you do something that scares you, it removes the fear of the unknown. For instance, if you’ve wanted to become fit, you’d have to step out and exercise. Initially, it may intimidate you but eventually, you will enjoy it.

If you want the community beach to look clean, you can take the first step of cleaning it manually. Slowly many other people will join you. Eventually, it will become a drive. In a few months, you will see that the beach looks cleaner now.

Chapter 6:

Accept and Acknowledge

The first step towards changing is acceptance. It is important to acknowledge that something needs to transform. You don’t have to beat yourself up for not being able to transform. Introspect, and try to understand what is causing the blocks in your journey. Target one thing at a time. You have to love yourself to transform.

Make a list of problems you are facing and sit with them for a while. When you look closely, you will know that all the problems have a solution. In this process of transformation, you will face times where you will fail. There will be times when people will pull you down. Do not let it affect you. Love yourself, no matter what.

Chapter 7:

Transform Your Thoughts

Most of us cant transform because we all get too stuck in our heads. We let a few bad experiences define our belief system. Additionally, we let negative beliefs rule our heads. It is important to understand that our beliefs lead to our behaviors. If we change our beliefs, we can transform our behaviors. Question your thoughts. Transform them.

If your thought patterns are not allowing you to make a big difference then try to make small transitions. Take small steps every day. Remember, consistency is the key!

Chapter 8:

Positive Thinking

This one never gets old but think positive! It may be the best advice. Push negativity aside. Do not let negative people demotivate you. Turn inwards, and engage in meditative practices. You can explore spirituality and mindfulness-based practices to bring a positive change. Positive thoughts help you to believe in yourself. Moreover, it helps you believe that your goals are achievable.

You can use your mistakes and bad experiences to help others. This can be a lesson for your future self.

Revise That Vision Board

On this journey of transformation, keep revisiting your goals, mark the things that are working and revise the ones that aren’t. Additionally, keep adding new goals. This is important because changing times require revisions. Try to live in the moment. Do not worry if some goals were not accomplished. Transformation is a tough road and sometimes things don’t go your way. It is okay if some goals are not met. Additionally, transformation is a lifelong process and therefore absolute consistency is very difficult.

Endnote

We all need to face life changes. Change makes life interesting. However, there are many reasons why we fear any kind of shift from the usual. We all become too comfortable in the ordinary and the usual. Any kind of shift brings a little bit of chaos and we all feel compelled to move and transform. Some find it difficult to cope with change. Some people who aspire to perfectionism are hesitant to transform. They fear that any shift can make things imperfect. There are many reasons why a person fears transformation.

At Epsychonline, several courses help you challenge your belief system. For instance course on Perfectionism can help you question your thoughts about the need to be perfect. There are courses such as Binge Eating Disorder. These courses help you to deal with difficult emotions which stop you from changing. Many articles help you in your journey of transformation. These articles cover topics such as Coping with change. These courses and articles are curated by experts and are self-help. Do check them out.


"Very practical suggestions" Peter

95 sections

6-Weeks Self-Paced

  • Educational Content
  • Quizzes
  • Self-reflection material
  • Suggestions & feedback
  • Worksheet, tips & tools to use

$9.00 $12.00

25% discount