Today we are continuing my seven week #MotivationMonday series on Change.

Last week we talked about precontemplation and the role that denial plays. If you recognized the role that denial played in your attempt to change, then you may already be at the second stage of change, Contemplation.

When you are contemplating change, it means that you have acknowledged a problem. It means that you consciously recognize that a behavior or situation is not serving you. It is working against you, creating psychological and/or emotional problems.

Perhaps you find yourself thinking about why you have this problem, its roots. You may find yourself thinking that if you can just understand why you are doing something then you can change your behavior.

One of the biggest roadblocks to change at this point is fear. Many patients in my practice know where they want to be, they may even know how to get there, but they are just not ready to make the change.

Why?

Well, fear of failure is powerful. What if you make a change, and then go back to your old ways? Are you really ready? What happens when it’s four o’clock and for three days, you haven’t binged on candy and then on the fourth day you find yourself sitting in the car binging on a king size chocolate bar? I mean, if you’re just going to end up binging, why stop at all? Many folks with disordered eating use this all or nothing thinking.

But it’s difficult to even consider solutions, when we are so focused on the problem. This stage is almost like a hamster running on a wheel. Around and around we go, chasing the problem, our fear keeping us from getting off that wheel.

Now, if you are thinking about the change you’d like to make in your life, and you are not worrying about how at 4 p.m. you are usually bingeing, then you are ready to go to the next step. Maybe at 4p.m. you are considering doing some lunges, or perhaps you are considering calling a friend and actually trying to decide which friend could you call, and what would that be like. If so, congrats! You are actually at the end of the contemplation stage and transitioning to the next stage of change, Preparation, which we will discuss next week.

In the meantime-  Get Sun. Eat Clean. Be Well.
Dr. Norton