Some people feel trapped and want a change in life. However, wanting a change and actually making a change are different things. If you’re ready to make some changes in your life, here are five steps that can help you make a plan:

1. Set goals

Simply wanting to change or grow in some way isn’t enough. You need to identify some goals. Are you looking to improve your fitness? Learn something new? Kick a bad habit? Identify your goals and try to set some milestones by which you can measure your growth. An example of this for someone whose long-term goal is to quit smoking would be to set a milestone goal of not smoking for one week, then two and so on. Meeting a milestone goal can be rewarding on its own and encourage you to keep going.

2. Identify what’s holding you back

What’s keeping you from making the changes you want to make? What excuses do you make to put off making a change? Take a moment to reflect on these questions. You may even want to make a list.

Once you identify what’s holding you back, you can make some of your first smaller goals related to moving past these setbacks and excuses. For example, with smoking again, one of the things holding you back is the addictive properties of tobacco. 

3. Make a routine

One you have your goals in mind, it’s time to make a plan to meet them. This routine will include ways to meet your milestone goals and, ultimately, your long-term goals. Continuing with our example of smoking, you can make a routine by establishing different activities to try during times when you’d normally take a smoke break. This will help in breaking the behavioral part of the nicotine addiction, though you’ll still experience the chemical withdrawals in the early stages of quitting. 

4. Create a system of accountability

Without accountability, it’s easy to relapse into previous behaviors or lifestyles that negate all of your efforts to make a change. Find a way to create some accountability to help keep you motivated. For many people, this accountability is found in friends, family or professionals. 

Smokers can join a group of other people who are quitting so they have people to help keep them motivated and go through the journey with them. 

5. Keep track of your progress

Having some tangible representation of your progress is highly motivating in encouraging you to stay on your new path in life. Some people accomplish this by keeping a daily journal. If your goals are fitness related, a wearable fitness tracker can monitor your progress.

Whatever the method, find a way to keep an eye on your progress so you can see how far you’ve come and how capable you are at going further.

Centerpoint Church will walk with you through your life’s journey

Are you trying to make a change in your life but find it’s difficult because you don’t have any support or accountability? The Centerpoint Church community is here for you. We believe in the value of personal growth for physical, emotional, mental and spiritual benefits. If you need someone to join you on your journey making a better change in your life, our community will walk with you.