Stages of Change

The first step to change is to notice and fully become aware of what feeling or behaviour you are wanting to have more of it your life. The next step is to identify what current behaviours or value systems might need to be explored further so that some re-alignment can occur. It's also important to accept that transition can be a challenging period and the more realistic and true you can be with yourself, the easier it is to re-start the process if you have a fallback to the old patterning.

The process of change will likely bring a lot of emotions. Some of these may include; excitement, hope, frustration, disappointment, anger, grief, etc. Some may feel "good" in the body and some may feel like you want to "avoid", however, the more the acceptance of all the emotions, the more likely the change will be sustainable over a longer period of time.

It can be useful to understand what stage of change you may currently be at. The following is a nutshell of what the different stages may look like:

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1. Precontemplation: At this stage, individuals are not yet considering changing their behavior. They may not be aware of the need for change or may be resistant to it.

2. Contemplation: In this stage, individuals start to recognize the need for change and begin seriously considering it. They may weigh the pros and cons and explore different options.

3. Preparation: At this stage, individuals are actively getting ready to make a change. They may gather information, set goals, or seek support from others to help them succeed.

4. Action: In this stage, individuals begin taking concrete steps toward making the desired change. They put their plans into action and start implementing new behaviours or strategies.

5. Maintenance: Once individuals have successfully made the change, they enter the maintenance stage. The focus here is on sustaining the new behaviour and preventing relapse.
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6. Termination: In the final stage, individuals have fully integrated the change into their lives, and it has become a permanent part of who they are. They no longer feel tempted to revert to old habits.

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It is also important to remember that these stages are more fluid and therefore you may shift through stages rather than following them in a logical order depending on your level of insight, perception of situation and other environmental factors.