It's 2017! New year, new you??

It's a new year! Everyone is talking about all the changes they are going to make this year. Everywhere you look, people are convincing you that it's now the time to change. Why did you wait so long to change? What specifically about the year changing from 2016 to 2017 is going to inspire that change in you? Nothing. I tell everyone I see making New Year's Resolutions, "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can start today."

Change needs to come from within. You have to want the change. The change needs to be something you're willing to do and stick with. I once fell victim to the New Year's Resolution scam. 2 years ago, I bought a gym membership that I've used four times and I am still paying for it every month. Certainly a waste of money! As I am writing this article, I realize that I should cancel that membership. If I haven't used it now, why should I expect to use it in the future?

Don't get me wrong. I am 100% for making goals and following them. I just don't see the significance of waiting until a new year to start when you can start them the day you decide you want to do them.

The first step in making changes is realizing you need to change. The biggest difference between people who succeed and those who don't is MOTIVATION. Motivation is the key factor in making any change to your life. Change doesn't happen overnight and your motivation for success may change as you progress towards your goal.

In the late 1970's Carlo DiClimente and James Prochaska began studying the way people change and developed a well respected model for the way people change. It lists 6 stages of change. This change model is mostly used for people with drug and alcohol addictions but it can be applied to every aspect of life and any change you want to make.

The six steps are:

1. Pre-Contemplation: In this stage, you have no plans of taking action to make a change. You may be unaware or unwilling to accept the consequences of your actions or you just simply have no interest in making a change.
2. Contemplation: At this stage, you've become aware of your problem and are weighing the pro's and con's of changing. You are trying to decide if changing is worth your time and effort. 
3. Preparation: If you've decided in the contemplation stage that it's worth your time to make a change, you've made it to the preparation stage. At this stage, you're developing a plan to make the change. You've made a commitment to yourself to make a change and you're building the confidence to get started. During this stage you should set up clear and realistics guidelines to follow. 
4. Action: This is the hard part. The action stage is where you are engaging directly in the steps necessary to make a change. You should be following the plan you made in your preparation stage. Getting other people involved at this stage is a great motivational benefit. It will help keep you on the right track having friends and family cheer you on. 
5. Maintenance: You've already made the changes and now it's time to keep up with them. You're less tempted to go back to your old lifestyle and you are continuously growing more confident in yourself that the changes you've made will stick. 
6. Termination: You've made it. You've stuck to your plan and you've completed your goal!