Time to Change? Take Big Steps!

January is usually accompanied by the desire to make changes in your life.   Maybe you want to exercise more, eat better, get more sleep, start that writing project you’ve put off for a while or other exciting things.

Did you make some New Year’s resolutions?  How are you doing with them?  I made one to rewrite and redesign my website.  I hired a graphic designer to help with making it look good.  That commitment to him will keep me moving forward.

strong>Often our commitments or resolutions don’t get carried out because they aren’t big enough.  That’s right.  They need to be big.  Something that has you gulp.  When you really want to make changes, baby steps aren’t enough.  It actually takes too long.  I don’t mean that you don’t move toward what you want step by step, I do mean you need to take bigger steps to stay motivated.

What if you are determined to have a more joyful life that includes a fabulous, romantic relationship either with someone new or the current person in your life.  If you want to meet someone, is it enough to just go on a dating website and wait for someone to email you?  No, it’s not a big enough step.  You need to contact people that interest you; you need to be out in the world doing things where you can meet people; and most importantly, you need to believe you will meet someone perfect for you.

If you are already in a relationship, is it enough to just say you are going to be more compassionate, loving and communicative once a day?  No, because for you and the other person to feel the shift, you need to do it every day, as often as possible.

How about if you want to get into shape?  Is it enough to go to the gym two days a week?  No, more than likely you won’t feel or see results quickly enough to stay motivated.

If you want to get really toned gluteus muscles a great way to do that is by doing lunges.  You take big steps when you are doing lunges for maximum benefit.  You can do baby steps but you won’t get the same benefit in the same amount of time. If you want to feel great about yourself – to really like yourself – is it enough to read some self-help books and try to implement one or two of the teachings?  No.  Again those aren’t big enough steps to really impact your self-esteem and your way of thinking about yourself.  Egos are too strong and you get in the habit of listening to them.  Something bigger is required.

It’s why coaching has such a huge impact on people’s lives.  A coach challenges you to push yourself to the point where you gulp and think “I can’t do that!” It’s the gulp place you want to operate from.  That’s when you will start to see and feel results.

No More Baby Steps

I want to encourage you to be willing to forego baby steps for the sake of feeling and seeing change.  Baby steps are the ego’s way of convincing you that you are doing something, but you aren’t going to really feel or see the changes you want.  It’s why people get discouraged and give up.

If you want to jump out of a plane, you go through a class that teaches you various safety factors and techniques, but ultimately you are going to jump out of that plane.  You may go tandem, but you are going to jump.  Unless you get scared.  And that’s okay.  But to have the experience you have to jump!

Be willing to challenge yourself.  Hire a coach, fitness trainer, writing instructor, marketing expert, or a teacher of any sort.  Make yourself accountable to them and yourself.  Make the decision that this is the year of big changes.

We have a big change that occurred in the United States – ride the energy of big change.  What if you only had a few more years to live, would you slowly go about doing what you wanted or would you jump right in with both feet?

Go for it!  Whatever you want.  Go for it!  Give it your all.  If you don’t hear the gulp then take a bigger step until you do. 

Make the choice to take a big step.  Make a choice to have the life you want now!  Jump!  And soon you’ll be jumping for joy about your choices.
imagine the possibilities….

© Carol Chanel