LIVING WITH PURPOSE
CHANGES
It seems this is what many of us begin every New Year with…..the desire and quest to CHANGE something about ourselves.
In Prochaska, Norcross, and Diclemente’s book Changing for Good their theory is you pass through stages to accomplish CHANGE. The stages are as follows:
Precontemplation or resisting change;
Contemplation, where chronic contemplators substitute thinking for action, sometimes for years.
Preparation in which the decisions you made in the previous stage give rise to specific steps you will take;
Action, where the movement begins. Often success in this stage depends upon combining a variety of techniques; and the
Maintenance stage, this stage takes all of the work done in the Action stage and builds on it.
In future newsletters, I will give you more information on each stage. It may be helpful to identify which stage you believe you are in.
CHANGES are often accompanied by GOALS, which need to include a few ingredients to be successful. A way to remember these ingredients is SMART:
SPECIFIC – clear, easy, doable; EXAMPLE: I will include 3 fruits in my daily meals.
MEASURABLE – I will keep a written food journal daily and record each time I eat a fruit
ATTAINABLE – This needs to be something you can do, something within your reach. I also believe ACCOUNTABILITY fits here as well. Reaching GOALS will more likely happen if you are working with others and not going it alone.
REALISTIC – Hear it means doable. REWARDS are important as well. When you have accomplished your goal, have an appropriate reward waiting for you!
TIMELY – Put an end point for your goal, a time you will have done it by.
TOOLS
Helpful tools can be things such as Journals-a place to write things down. The internet can be helpful as well. Websites such as webMD can be a resource for knowledge. There are several websites to journal on where you can find partners who are making the same changes you want to make such as Weight Watchers. If slipping into old patterns happens (and it likely will) try to avoid all or none thinking such as “Well I messed up, so I may as well scrap the whole thing”. This is a lie and you can begin again at anytime. All is not lost.
Of course another helpful tool is COACHING! Please feel free to call me. The gift of a complimentary coaching session may be one of the most fruitful choices you make in your quest for CHANGE!
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
The right word spoken at the right time is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl.
Proverbs 25:11
INQUIRY
An Inquiry is a question or questions I will leave with you each month for you to contemplate. I hope it will bring you closer to LIVING WITH PURPOSE.
WHAT ARE YOUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NEW YEAR?
WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK FROM LIVING WITH PURPOSE?
FEEDBACK
I value your feedback. Please feel free to express yourself!
MARLA BOX, M.ED., LPC
LIFE COACH/LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR
210-218-8044
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
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Please send this newsletter on to anyone you believe would want to see it!
Thank you
Volume 1 January 2008
Marla Box, M.Ed., LPC
LIVING WITH PURPOSE can begin for you today!
(210) 218-8044
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