Bringing Change: Dialing It Up vs. Drifting Using the Change Model

In today's episode, we are exploring the fundamental distinction between "dialing it up" and "drifting." These two contrasting approaches to life can profoundly influence the outcomes we experience. Whether you're an active pursuer of goals or someone who tends to go with the flow, understanding these two paths can help you make more conscious choices and navigate your journey toward self-improvement and fulfillment.

The Transtheoretical Model of Change, developed by James O. Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente, outlines the stages individuals go through when making changes in their lives. These stages are:

1. Precontemplation: At this stage, individuals are not yet aware of the need for change.
2. Contemplation: Individuals recognize the need for change but may still be ambivalent.
3. Preparation: Here, individuals are actively planning and preparing for change.
4. Action: This stage involves implementing the changes.
5. Maintenance: Individuals work to sustain the changes made.
6. Termination: In this stage, the new behavior is fully integrated into one's life, and there is no risk of relapse.

Tips for Being Open to Personal Growth

1. Self-awareness: Start by understanding your current mindset and where you are in the stages of change. Reflect on your goals and aspirations.
2. Set clear goals: Define specific, achievable goals for personal growth. Break them down into smaller, manageable steps.
3. Seek knowledge: Read books, attend workshops, or take courses in areas that interest you. Continuous learning is a hallmark of personal growth.
4. Embrace challenges: Don't shy away from difficult tasks or setbacks. These are opportunities for learning and growth.
5. Develop resilience: Understand that setbacks are a part of the process. Resilience helps you bounce back and continue on your journey.
6. Surround yourself with positivity: Engage with supportive friends and mentors who encourage your growth and development.
7. Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself throughout the process. Avoid self-criticism and focus on self-improvement.

If you are interested in learning more about the opportunity to be part of a life-changing coaching group - to ensure your journey is more about dialing than drifting - and you the outcome that you want, CLICK HERE TO JOIN or CLICK HERE TO CHAT.  

Transcript

Yeti Stereo Microphone & FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in): 0:59

Welcome back to another week of defaulting to your extraordinary self. I'm glad you're joining me here today. This past week has been a busy one for me. I was out in salt lake city. Co-hosting a conference with the central oil nurses On mental health and aroma therapy and what a great time loved getting to connect with other nurses and other healthcare professionals Around a cause of serving and bringing a room, a therapy into practice. To enhance health and overall wellbeing. Like I said, it was a busy week, came home worked. Worked both Thursday and Friday. So it was traveling Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and working Thursday and Friday. So that didn't leave me a whole lot of time to research something new for us today. Then in my conversation With my accountability group. Yesterday morning, We got talking about the model of change. And I thought this might be a really good thing to talk about because it's something that I've used in to, in personal growth on my own. And it's something that I use in coaching practice. And it. Really does help the process of creating change that maybe is, has alluded us in the past. They're basically two paths emerged when we were talking And I. stumbled on to the concept of just dialing it up or drifting. These two approaches encapsulate the fundamental or foundational choices that we make when it comes to shaping our lives and realizing our aspirations. We were talking about personal growth being on a continuum. And that's when I used the word, dialing it up and really liked that And this was actually from a concept from a talk that I heard on happiness. By Arthur Brooks. He talked about happiness, or a mental health diagnosis, not being a switch, but being on a dial. And so that was in my mind, but it's also a way we put ourselves on a continuum to personal growth. And I think a lot of times we have in mind that we're going to switch it on and switch it off. So we like, let's just use the example of fitness because it's a common one. We're going to switch it on or we're switching it off. So when we switch it off, let's say we had a little misstep or a setback. We switch it off until we have the motivation to switch it on. I like the concept of putting it on a dial. The dial represents that deliberate and proactive pursuit of personal growth and it involves setting clear goals. Making conscious choices and taking intentional steps to achieving meaningful change. This Turning up the volume in our life's ambitions and amplifying our efforts. Steering the course towards a desired destination. And that's also very different. Than the distinction between dialing, and drifting. Drifting is more of a passive approach often. This comes into play by going with the flow allowing circumstances to dictate your path. Relinquishing control over your personal development. And it's, like setting your life on autopilot and letting external forces steer the ship. Which can sometimes lead to unforeseen destinations. This means that we, sometimes experience those unintended consequences of choices that we didn't make deliberately. I hear people all the time. Talk about personal growth and talk about setting goals and making those conscious choices is just being. Working too hard. At life, I'm just going to let it flow. I'm going to do the things that I want to do during the day. I'm going to be driven by. By joy and desire and just do what I want to do and not work so hard at it. The problem is, that we end up working hard on the other side of it. When we experienced some of those unintended consequences. Sometimes those are hits to our health. Sometimes they're hits to our relationships and things that we really did aspire to. We all have goals and aspirations. It's just sometimes there's that story that we tell ourselves in our head that it's too hard or that's too much work. That's too much effort. And the effort somehow in that story that we're telling ourselves takes the fun out of it or takes the joy. Out of accomplishing those things or arriving at the place or showing up in the world the way we really want to, it's going to take work either way. I emphasize this a lot of times with my clients. I like to remind them that it's not, we are not pursuing a hundred percent happiness. We are not always going to feel good. It's kind of 50, 50 almost. I don't know what exactly what the real statistics or a scientific numbers would be on this, but I think we all know that we don't feel good all the time. That it's a journey that we're on. We've had ups and downs and highs and lows. And those things compliment each other and they make up that beautiful human story that we're all living. So I'm going to talk about that model of change and how that can help us navigate those. That personal growth, whether we're dialing it up or we're maybe even dialing it down a little bit, not turning it off and on, but dialing it up or down. And that's how we can create that balance or that harmony in our lives. As we move intentionally in the direction that we really mean to go. Instead of drifting. Okay, let's talk a little bit about what personal growth is. Now. I realize that probably if you're listening to this, you're dedicated to personal growth. But I do have some listeners that are still ambivalent about what that actually means. Maybe you want, maybe you're somebody who wants to grow. But in that category of just really considering it, I think you're going to this episode. Personal growth is rooted in psychology and neuroscience. And In the default to yes. Community. This is how we approach this. It involves that conscious effort to evolve, to learn, adapt, and improve yourself over in different aspects of life, including relationships, career health, and overall wellbeing. Scientifically personal growth is associated with neuroplasticity The brain's ability to rewire and adapt through experiences and learning. And this means that the brain can develop new neural pathways even in, into adulthood, which is essential for personal growth. Neuro-plasticity provides us hope that the emphasizes that our brains possess the inherent ability to change and adapt throughout our lives. And this knowledge is empowering to us, who to approach that personal growth with optimism and resilience. Even when it gets tough. And that when we face those setbacks, It underscores the idea that personal growth is a lifelong journey with boundless possibilities and offering a pathway. Do more. Enriching and meaningful existence. And this is what gives me hope. This is what allows me to show up here every week and talk about these things, because if we didn't have the capability and if the brain wasn't such an amazing and fascinating tool that we have to use to make our lives, what we really want them to be to live the life we were created for. I wouldn't. I show up here every week and talk about it as if it could happen, if it couldn't. So this is what gives me hope. And this is what inspires me to show up. For myself and show up for you every week. All right. So I told you, we were talking about this change model and what. I can say, especially nurses are thinking within this model, it's just built into that approach. As we're educating our patients, we're thinking about the stages and where that, where our patients. Fall in these stages. Started realizing that this is the process that I take myself through whenever I want to make a change

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the trans theoretical model of change was developed by James Shaka and Carla DiClemente and it outlines the stages individuals go through when making change in their lives. I'm just going to go through these stages. you might want to take notes and write these down so that you can reflect on them later. If you're driving, they will be in the show notes. I'll put them there too, so that you can just look back at them or copy and paste them. so first of all, pre contemplation at this stage, individuals are not yet aware of the need for change. This happens in healthcare with a new diagnosis. Maybe you go to find something, find out what's wrong. You get a new diagnosis. And you're totally unprepared for the changes that are needed and it wasn't even on your radar screen. practitioners, we need to acknowledge that. We need to acknowledge this stage that when patients don't really see the need, but now they have this problem. That they don't perceive, they feel fine. And now they need to make a change or we know they need to make a change, but they're not yet aware of it. we can probably see times in our lives that. That has been the case. And then of course we can see that in others. Pre contemplation second phase contemplation. This is when the need starts to be recognized. Individuals recognize the need for change. But still, maybe a little ambivalent as to what to do or what they are committed to doing. Third stage is preparation. Here's where individuals are actively planning and preparing for change. Not making changes yet. This isn't the action stage. This is just planning and preparing. The fourth stage is action. This stage involves implementing those changes. But we're not done yet. Maintenance is that this stage, the individuals work to sustain the changes made. Lot of messy middle. a lot of obstacles. We need to still face. And challenges, maybe even some setbacks. To get to the sixth stage, which is termination. And in this stage, a new behavior is fully integrated into your life. And there is no risk of relapse. This is when it's a habit. And you're not even thinking about, maybe not even thinking about. The challenges or the change that was required, maybe even you're taking it for granted. Where you've just, this is part of your life. It's a solid value. A consistent habit that no longer requires the work to sustain. So the stages of the change model, the transtheoretical model can be really helpful when you want to make a change, but find it challenging to actually implement that change. Maybe there's an outcome that you want, but you're not really sure about the process. And still weighing, is it worth it? So this also applies to our workplaces and our culture. so you can see this kind of clearly the problems that when we don't acknowledge the stage, probably most more. When you look at others, or if you look maybe at your workplace, When there's a big change in our processes at work one that requires us to do things differently, to change our practice, to change our workflow. oftentimes these things are rolled out when everything seems to be working fine, we have a routine, we've got it down. And then. some new system, some new process. Goes live. It's going live right now. That's can be very frustrating. What I've learned over time is what research tells us is that the fact is that organizations don't change cultures. Don't change individuals. Don't change. Just because new systems, processes or structures are put in place, they changed because people within the organization. Values within the individuals adapt and change to. only when people have made their own personal transitions. Can an organization truly reap the benefits of change? And yes, leaders. This means employees, even though they have to do what you say to do. And they abide by the structures or the systems. If it's, if they're not really making those personal transitions to the benefits of the change, it's going to be a rough road. and that can be frustrating because it does require a different approach. it can seem like it's going to be much slower. I don't think that probably would be actually the case If we looked at it longterm. But regardless, it requires a different approach and that many organizations don't bother to observe. So they spend valuable resources telling people to change. Creating elaborate, technical support, even rolling things out. Defining them only to find themselves right back into the contemplation phase. Wondering why the same problems persist. I have learned, although it took me way too long not to let these changes frustrate me. I used to really get frustrated and involved in expressing that. And I pulled back a lot. I'm not sure my coworkers and maybe my leaders with. Would see it that way, but I know that when change is rolled out by leading with a solution before exposing the problem to all the key stakeholders, I know that I just need to give it a couple of weeks because it's all going to go away. As soon as whatever this project, however, this project rolled out, whether it was somebody's project or. It was a legitimate problem that we needed to solve. I know it's going to all go away and we're going to be right back to how things were before. Because we're going to gravitate back to what's comfortable. When we don't understand the benefits of change. So it's a same way in our personal lives. When we hear a solution, a new fitness plan, a weight loss hack, a course, the promises, an easy solution. To a problem or. To get us to an outcome that we really want. But we haven't fully considered going back to the root cause. what is the real problem that we're solving? And what is the benefit? We're setting ourselves up for failure. Let me give you an example of my own life. Going back to trying to establish a good fitness routine. I Got in a conversation with some friends over coffee and got really excited about the possibilities. So I joined the Y I I went through my orientation. I attended a few classes. I probably posted on social media, how excited I was about this new change. I even made a few connections. And, but what I didn't consider is What my real obstacles, we're going to be. Going forward. What the root cause of my problem was. at the time I worked four days a week and was on my feet all day and I was. Just. Felt too exhausted. To go work out after work and going before work. was Not a good solution either. And. Over time. I wasn't really able to actually participate in the way that sounded more fun. I could go one day a week, but that wasn't giving me what I really wanted. And I quickly became frustrated and I no longer run into pay the fees for something that I didn't really enjoy. Turns out. I really was still in the contemplation phase and I hadn't prepared for the obstacles. The transtheoretical model of change provides us with insights into a process of change. And offers those strategies to help us navigate the difficulties in transitioning from wanting to change, to actually making it happen. I used to say things like, I want to want it to be. a runner because runners just seemed like they had the fitness thing going. They would go out for a run and feel great about it. I wanted to want that. But I didn't really want it. Are you tracking with me here? That's how the stages of change can assist in this situation. We have to get past. All of the questions in our minds and the obstacles, because when we make a change, your brain is going to go into overdrive to try to keep you safe. And convince you that these changes are not worth the effort it's dangerous. It's not comfortable. And who wants that? I hear it all the time. We think that making change is going to be a lot of work and you don't want to work that hard at life. You want the outcomes, but do you really want them that bad? Maybe we're fine. Just the way we are now I'm not saying that you aren't fine. Just the way you are. But. I like to imagine what is possible. If we continue to learn and continue to grow and continue to get better. To be more loving and more generous, more kind. Be better humans. Experience more of what we are meant for. All right, let's go through these things. And even if you are someone who doesn't like the word goals, doesn't want it to strive. Does it want to do those things, but maybe you want an outcome that you don't have right now. Stick with me through here. Maybe there's something in this for you. To be able to turn that dial just enough to create the awareness that might set you on a two. On the trajectory towards the outcome that you want. And if you're somebody who is really jazzed about making about personal growth and always looking, this is going to be a really fun thing for you to identify in yourself as you make different changes, as well as being able to support others and maybe support your friends and family, maybe your kids. If you're a practitioner, your patients, if you're not already a consciously thinking through those, these things, First identify where you are, that self-awareness start by understanding your current mindset, where you are in the stages of change, reflect on your goals and aspirations. And if you don't like the word goals reflect on the outcome that you really want. Then ask yourself some questions. Now, the first one seems strange because if you don't. No, you want to change. why would you even answer this question, but are you in the pre-contemplation stage where you're not yet aware of the need for change? This can happen when you are. Want an outcome. You're dreaming. You have dreams. But you really haven't considered that. You're going to need to change anything to get there. Second question, are you contemplating change, but feeling ambivalent in the contemplation phase. Or if you already started taking action, but Facing challenges in taking action. In the maintenance phase. Recognizing your current stage can help you understand your readiness for change. That is what motivation is. If we wait to be motivated to bake any changes or to do anything really positive where we could be waiting for a really long time. We all know that motivation is fleeting. You get moments of motivation and then it's gone. Waiting for it to come back. Very detrimental to ever getting the outcome that you want. second step in this process would be understanding resistance. the stages of change acknowledged that resistance to change is natural and often part of the process. I would say it's all probably always part of the process in. At some level. If you find yourself wanting to change, but not making progress, Understanding that this resistance is normal. Can alleviate the feelings of frustration and self-blame you planned for it? It's coming. You understand that it's normal, you can't get around it. It's just part of the process at as part of everyone's process. No one makes a change without some resistance. It's a reminder that change. Is not always a linear path. Sometimes it's not just, here's where we're going to start. Here's where we're going to finish. and we can't always see straight to the finish line. And that is okay. Our brains are designed to overcome those things, but We have to activate the prefrontal cortex to make that happen. We can't let our permitted brain drive this process, or we will continue to drift to where we maybe don't want to be. Third step in this process is to set clear and realistic goals. I considered maybe not using the word goals, because I know a lot of people who don't like the word goals. For whatever reason, whatever thought process it is. Whatever story it is that goes on their goals are not something that they aspire to. That's okay. Use whatever word you want. The idea is knowing the outcome clearly. And breaking up that process to get to the outcome that you desire, breaking it up into smaller steps. I have a call those goals, you can call them whatever you bought. Call them steps. Call them. The process, whatever. Ever you want to call it? the change model encourages you to set those realistic and achievable. Goals or design a process based on your current stage. for the purpose of our conversation, I'm going to use the word goal. And you can substitute the word Process achievements mile markers. Whatever word you want to use. But it's a process, right? So the model encourages us to set realistic and achievable goals to To break the process. To break that journey up. That gets us to the outcome that we want into manageable steps. And we're going to do that based on our current stage. If you're in the pre-contemplation stage, your goal may be to become aware of the deed for change. If you're in the action stage, your goal might be to develop strategies for overcoming obstacles. Setting goals, tailored to your stage can make the change process more manageable. And believe it or not, this is also going to get us to our outcome. A lot quicker and a lot easier than we would have had we just drifted. Or flip the switch instead of dialing it up. All right. So building self-efficacy is an, is the next step. And that self-efficacy refers to your belief in your ability to make changes. The stages of the change model emphasizes the importance of building self efficacy as you process through the stages. As you achieve small milestones and overcome obstacles, your confidence in your ability to change. We'll grow. Making it easier to take the next step and that also gets you to that place of, I know how far I've come. I can definitely make that next step. I can definitely dial it up a little bit. And get myself to closer to that outcome. You've done hard things before you could do this. All right. The next step is seeking support, seeking knowledge. This is where, when we want an outcome. Or we desire mastery in a skill, or we want a certain outcome. We can read books, attend workshops. We can take courses in the areas that have interest. Continuous learning is a hallmark of personal growth. And when it leads us to an outcome, it can be really fun. And bring joy. So it's not work when you actually put into the process towards an outcome that you want and you can see the path. And you can start to see clearly how you can make it happen. The change model highlights the significance of seeking support from others, whether it's friends, family. A therapist, a coach or a support group, having a network of people who understand the change process can provide encouragement, guidance, and accountability. My coaching group is actually open for enrollment right now. And this is exactly what we do. This is a group of people who have an outcome that they desire. And it's a way to network with people who understand that change process, who will encourage and we'll celebrate with us. Maybe problem solve or troubleshoot. And see us through some of those obstacles, sometimes even just hearing other people's stories and knowing that you're not in it alone. Is. Worth the investment. To make lifelong friends along the way, and a journey of getting the outcomes that you want and living the life that you want is totally worth it. If this is something that interests you I'll put a link down below. Into the show notes to the coaching group. So you can learn a little bit more. And then I would encourage you to, if you have questions, just click the link, make an appointment with me and we'll chat about it. No obligation. If you just have questions and want to learn, I'd love to talk to you more about it. This can be a crucial part of dialing it up and getting the outcomes that you want. All right. Another step is learning from relapses. Embracing challenges, developing resilience. Resilience is another word that I almost hate to use, especially because I know that a lot of my listeners are nurses. And the last thing that we want is to be told, to develop resilience. For the most part, if you're diving into your personal growth. You have resilience already. And embracing challenges is not a foreign concept. Don't shy away from the difficult tasks or setbacks. These are opportunities for learning and growth. It's common to experience setbacks or relapses during the change process. I've actually almost learned my turnaround time. My little tantrum time, when I realize I'm in a setback or I'm experiencing one of these is shorter and shorter all the time. I'm able to see them as getting me closer and closer to the outcome. The more of them I experience. So rather than seeing a relapse as failure, you can view it as a chance to refine your strategies and continue progressing. Really those failures is where we get all of the knowledge and wisdom to be able to move forward. And so if that is why you don't like to use goals is because you're afraid you're not going to meet them. That there's that fear. How icky it feels when you don't meet your goal. Let's set that story free. And let's change it up a little bit. And understand that failure, setbacks are just part of the process. your resilience is what's going to help you bounce back and continue on your journey. and better for it. I staying committed, practicing self-compassion. Is key, be kind to yourself through the process. Avoid self-criticism and focus on self-improvement. This is going to be really hard if you don't set that phone down and stop the comparing on social media. Don't scroll on social media when you're struggling. Yeah. Sometimes you can get some tips, but most of the time. That comparison and that criticism, when you're comparing your reality to somebody else's highlight reel is not a healthy thing. The stages of change emphasize the need for commitment and perseverance. Making lasting change is always going to require that ongoing effort and dedication, especially during that maintenance phase. It's really not until the termination phase that it's, we're on autopilot. We're doing it. We've made it. We don't even remember The hard work sometimes, or you're teaching it to other people, which is amazing as well. this model encourages us to stay committed to our goals, to the outcome that we want to our dreams and desires. Even when that initial motivation wanes. Again, motivation is fleeting. Don't wait for motivation to get what you want. by understanding where you are in the change process by acknowledging resistance setting, realistic goals. Building self-efficacy and seeking support, learning from the setbacks and staying committed. You can navigate the challenges of change more effectively and increase the chances of successfully implementing the changes that you desire. You can do this as an individual, and if you are a leader, you can do this in your community as well. You can apply these same principles. Just take others along with you. Ask the good questions, get curious, be authentically curious with the people. That have to embrace this change to make it happen. Culture doesn't change overnight. And really as individuals, we shouldn't expect change overnight as well. It might seem like that. Because of the process is sometimes not visible to others, but we all go through a process. remember that change is a process. The progress may not always be linear, but with persistence and a structured approach, you can move closer and closer to your goals, which actually is the goal to be. Progressing. It's not about perfection. And sometimes it's not even really about getting everything that you think you want. It's about the process. It's about us always becoming better humans, always living. The possibilities to imagine the possibilities. And to inspire other to do that as well. To live our lives fully and to love authentically and openly. To get to where we want to be. We can structure this approach. And so we're always dialing it up and we're not drifting and ending up in a place that we didn't mean to be in the first place. You're going to expend the same amount of energy. Either way. So why not make it something that you really want. I say it all the time. I'm on the journey with you. I acknowledge some of these things and some of these disciplines are easy for me while others are hard. And that is why the community is so important. We can learn and grow in the presence of those who have mastered the skills that we aspire to. And others can learn from us where we have mastery. we don't want to hold that back. When I was struggling to implement a new food plan and commit to a more consistent exercise routine, even though deep down, I knew it would significantly enhance my overall health. It was one of those situations where I wanted to make the change. But I just couldn't seem to find that motivation to take action. I knew better than to wait for Mo motivation. So I knew that I needed to process. A nurse who struggles to place a high value on health? I had a lot of shame around that and not to mention confusion. What was the story? I was telling myself. I knew I had to do some work and I had to move myself from those, changes that through the stages of change. And it took the patience of a coach to help me get. At where. This value is being blocked by some of the stories I had picked up in my professional experience. it really was factoring in the stages of the change model, a tool that I use in my coaching practice to help others. That actually, when I turned it on myself, It became a little bit of a light bulb moment. At first, I got honest and found myself in the contemplation stage. I knew I needed to make a change, but I was still grappling with. That ambivalence part of me wanted to stay in my comfort zone, enjoying the familiar foods and the lifestyle I grown accustomed to, even though admittedly, it was a bit sedentary. I love to read and study and write. And most of what I love to do is done on a computer or at a desk. But another part of me was really wanting to be healthier and live a more active life and be more aligned. With the kind of lifestyle that I. Was helping others to get to achieve and to, so to help me move from the contemplation to action, I decided to dive deep into learning about the benefits of the healthier diet and regular exercise. I began researching the science behind it all I had conversations with people that I, with my friends, who, and colleagues, who I knew had mastery in this area. My understanding grew and I realized that health was a value that I really did hold dear. I needed to attach it to the value of the mission that I had. Learning how these changes could improve. My life gave me that motivation. He gave me what, the strategy that I needed to transition into the action stage. So with that knowledge, I started setting realistic goals for myself, dialing it up. And instead of aiming for radical and unsustained changes, I took small and manageable steps. I began incorporating healthier foods into my diet one meal at a time. I learned about fasting. I shared that with you already. And I'm still new. I'm still in. I'm not to that termination phase. Probably farther, far away from it still. But I'm getting there. I am taking steps one step at a time, one day at a time to get there. I also introduced short and enjoyable exercise routines into my daily schedule. And this included switching it up and doing things that I really love to do. And I'm happy to say that I, what, I'm two months in pretty consistent. Last week, admittedly was a setback when I travel and to what I'm working every single day. I didn't have a T I didn't really have time to no fasting. Wasn't a problem with traveling, but the the rest of it was like, definitely got my steps in at the airport. Now I'm reflecting a little bit, but a little bit more because I've been hard on myself about how I showed up for me last week. I got really distracted by the other things that I love to do and then came back and just went to work. And didn't make a plan for myself, but now that I think about it, some of those things are evolving into more habits. I'm happy to say that I honestly did not let exercise labs and my fasting state intact. I think what I was breeding myself about was the food. Some of the food choices. And that's okay because they weren't horrible. They just weren't on the plan. Okay, so thank you for that. I feel much better. There's my processing through those changes and how I really did last week. It's a journey. It's not without its challenges. There are days when I faced resistance and moments when I contemplate reverting to my old habits. And this is where I really thought that I was last week, but I guess I'm farther along than really I was giving myself credit for, I did revert to some of the food choices that were just easy to make. However the stages have changed model have taught me that those setbacks are normal and they're part of the process. Instead of seeing them as failures, I can view them as opportunities for growth and for learning. And now next time, I know that there's a week coming up where I'm going to be. On per se, like traveling a lot and then maybe speaking or teaching. Maybe in project mode and then going into busy workdays. I'll know how to plan better. So I'm excited about that. Alright, seeking support. Another crucial aspect of my journey. I can find it in friends who had similar health goals and we helped each other. Along the way. I actually my business partner, my friend, Kathy we were traveling together. so fasting and that plan was top of mind. Getting sleep, getting our steps. It was part of the conversation. And so knowing that our, we share the same goals too. I guess kept me from going too far off track. Having someone to share the triumphs, those victories, add the struggles, makes the process so much more manageable and enjoyable. Kathy. And I did a talk together at the conference about reigniting, your passion for practice. And we talked about people and shared the quote of Jim Rowan, who says that the average year, the average of the five people you spend the most time with. I'm going to come back to that in another episode, because I think it's a really fascinating topic. But if we aspire to default to a, the extraordinary. It's really important that we manage that our circle of support. Make sure that you have those people that will love that you want to default to yes. And hold space for you when you're figuring it out to celebrate with you and aspire to default and aspire to default to extraordinary themselves. All right, with this information and some soul searching the supportive friends. As I progressed through the action stage, I realized that my commitment to health is deepening and it's not, it's no longer about just a temporary change. It's become a core value in my life. and I know that maintaining some of the new found habits. Is essential for my wellbeing. And this mindset shift is what's going to take me to that maintenance stage and that termination stage. I am grateful for that stages of change model. It provides me with a structured approach to transform my desires into action. By learning more and setting those goals. By doing all the things I've seen this hold true in many areas of my life. I've definitely seen it over and over in the lives of others. And. And I, even to the point where I have to remind some of my clients, how far they've come. Or that at one point, something that they're taking for granted is something that they worked on before. It's funny how our brain is that once we've established a habit, sometimes we can take those for granted celebrate those things. Remember how far you've come. Remember that you can do hard things. I've always valued healing of spirit and mind. And now the body is a goal and, but it's also a cherished value in my life. And one that I will continue to embrace with enthusiasm and determination. I love being on this journey with you. The science behind personal growth, the stages of change, the mindset theory are all interconnected. Embracing personal growth requires individuals requires us to recognize the need for change, to plan and prepare for it. To take action and maintain these changes. Having a growth mindset is crucial for approaching personal growth and that positive and adaptable attitude. This is something that we can build into our teams when we're working with other people as well. If you're a leader and still listening through that lens. Tips for being open to personal growth, identify where you are so that self-awareness understand resistance. Set those clear and realistic goals. Building self-efficacy seeking support. Learning from our relapses. Embrace those challenges. Stay committed and practice self compassion. The human capacity for growth and ability to overcome resistance is so fascinating and inspiring. It is the beyond what we can think or imagine that I wish for every one of us. I ran across the words of author and philosopher, Albert Caymus. He said in the midst of winter. I found there was within me an invincible summer. I believe that's true for everyone. And I believe that no matter what the circumstances, no matter what the real or perceived limitations. We all can continue to grow. It's going to look different for everyone. and it's process and progress, not perfection. We can become better humans. We can live the story that we're created for discovering more and more of what that really means. I know it isn't always easy and I also know that we're going to expend about the same amount of energy, either way. By pursuing. By dialing it up or drifting into places of unhealth and unintended next time you get fired up about something that needs to change. Next time you get frustrated by something that could be better. Walk through the change model, learn what you can learn about the possibilities and what is going to take to go from contemplating change to taking action. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend That's how we're going to grow into a great big community that gets up every day to default to yes. it's always good to share with a friend. Until next time, may you find your invincible summer within and pursue your aspirations By avoiding the drift. And dialing up a healthier, more fulfilling life. with unwavering determination as you get up every day at default. To yes, Your extraordinary self.