Here in mid-Missouri, we are all recovering from perhaps that worst case of spring fever anyone can remember, after what seemed like months of a winter that wouldn’t let go and a spring that lost its sprung.
Besides the obvious enjoyment of warmer air, spring flowers and the promise of hot summer days, what is it about spring that makes it so enchanting? Perhaps it is the climate of renewal.
Change, on the other hand, is typically not so enchanting.
From improvement needed to improvement noted can be a daunting and painful process – one we may be tempted to ignore. So how can we make the process more tolerable and get to the final reward?
Change is hard… for everyone. But change is also important to growth, and inevitable for survival. Here are some things to remember that make change a little less painful.
- Understand that change takes time. The behavior you need to change didn’t become a habit overnight, so it’s not fair to expect that the change will happen that quickly either.
- Don’t try to make too many changes at once. Change is hard and takes focus, so pick one or two things that are most important right now, and work on those and those alone.
- Don’t beat yourself up for relapsing. If you waiver from the plan, recognize it. Analyze what caused the relapse and make a new plan for how you will succeed the next time. Then start over and move on.
- Celebrate progress. Did I mention change is hard? Recognize your achievements – even the smallest of them – to stay motivated.
It’s time for renewal – for a little spring cleaning. Why not identify a behavior that needs aired out, touched up or pitched. Then enjoy the freshness and clarity that follows!
