With the fall comes inevitable change…change of seasons, weather and schedules. Wondering what else you might be interesting in changing in your life? There are 5 core stages to creating change and making it happen and stick. What stage are you on?

The first stage is recognizing what it is you want to change. Naming the pattern, behavior or identifying the issue to focus on. Let’s say I want to decrease my anxiety. The second stage is about creating a plan of action to make the change you want possible. That would mean identifying when my anxiety comes up, what the triggers are and creating a plan to meditate and learn mindfulness. The third stage is figuring out whom to enlist, what type of structure is required to best support your success. I chose to exercise daily, learn deep breathing and release exercises known to help anxiety and empower myself to learn to work through the deep feelings under the anxiety instead of numbing out. The fourth stage is making the necessary changes step by step throughout your day. Taking time to tune into myself and learning how to slow down seems to help when I feel overwhelmed. The fifth stage is assessing what is working and not working within your plan and begin integrating it in your life. I changed the time I exercised and added in some yoga, stretching and began shifting my thoughts and core beliefs to a more loving and compassionate way of being with myself. Now it’s your turn…

D’Arcy Bruning-Haid, M.A. Counselling
www.souls-journey.com