change

Change: [noun] the act or instance of making or becoming different.

If you're like me - you don't necessarily welcome the act of changing. Change requires time and patience. It requires hard work and effort. It requires you to actively do something out of the ordinary.

It's hard. It's rough. And it's usually not enjoyable.

3 - 5 is the number of times most people will attempt to change an unhealthy behavior before succeeding.

There have been a plethora of things I've wanted to change in my life. Some I've been successful at! Others I'm still working on. And some I try to put off as long as I can.

However, change is inevitable.

Inevitable: [adjective] certain to happen; unavoidable.

Unavoidable: That means change will happen. No matter what.

There are three models of behavior change (Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Model, and Transtheoretical Model) - each interesting in their own way. However, the third model was the one I was able to relate with the most. I found it interesting to compare my life to these six steps as I thought about unhealthy behaviors I'm working my breaking myself.

Dr. James Prochaska and Dr. Carlos DiClemete suggested that the reason we fail to succeed at our long - term goals so easily and quickly is because we aren't going about change the right way. They suggest there are six steps that must be followed in order to obtain the change we seek/want:

1. Precontemplation. People in the Precontemplation stage have no current intention of changing. They may have tried to change a behavior before and given up, or they may be in denial and unaware of the problem.
2. Contempation. In this phase, people recognize that they have a problem and begin to contemplate the need to change. Despite this acknolwedgement, people can languish in this stage for year, realizing that they have a problem but lacking the time or energy to make the change.
3. Preparation. Most people at this point are close to taking action. They've thought about what they might do and may even come up with a plan.
4. Action. In this stage, people begin to follow their action plans. Those who have prepared for change appropriately and made a plan of action are more ready for action than those who have given it little thought.
5. Maintenance. During the maintenance stage a person continues the actions begun in the action stage, and works toward making these changes a permanent part of his or her life. In this stage, it is important to be aware or the potential for relapses and to develop strategies for dealing with such challenges.
6. Termination. By this point, the behavior is so ingrained that constant vigilance may be unnecessary. The new behavior has become an essential part of daily living.
[These six steps were taken from the text book "Health: The Basics" by Rebecca J. Donatelle - yes... I wrote this while working on my health homework. Don't judge me.]

As I read through each of the steps I couldn't help but think, "I remember a time when I've felt like this." I was able to reminisce on all of the victories and setbacks I've ever had and was reminded of the habits that have been stuck with me for years that I've been working at breaking.

Chang is frustrating. Change is hard. However! Change is beautiful. The fact that we each have the ability and chance to change is a wonderful blessing given to us by a loving Heavenly Father.

Inside each of us is the power to change. To become someone we're proud of. To become someone that others can look up to. We have the power to be truly happy. That power is inside of you and me.

That power starts with something simple: a choice.

We're faced with choices daily; to get up on time or to hit the snooze button. To wear the pink shirt or the grey one. To eat Cocoa Puffs or Cinnamon Toast Crunch. To do our homework or to watch just one more episode of Scandal on Netflix. To keep talking to the cute boy past midnight or to turn off our phone and get some sleep.

Obviously there are choices that have a much greater impact on our lives: to go on a mission or continue going to school. To date the Mormon boy or the handsome, dangerous one. To marry in the temple or to settle for less. To say something hurtful or to stifle the comment. To do that bad thing just one more time or to fight the urge.

The choices we make today reflect what we will become. They shape our souls and mold us into the individuals we currently are and can become.

Change is inevitable. But how we change is our choice.

It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing. It never matters how far you think you've gone because you're never out of reach. You'll never go to the point of no return.

One of my favorite things to say is this: "We're human. We're stupid. We make mistakes. It's just going to happen. Some of our mistakes will be greater than those around us but that doesn't make us worth any less. Once we accept that we will and are going to make mistakes we're allowing the Atonement of Christ to take place in our lives.

How you change is a choice. How soon you change is a choice. It's all up to you.

But just remember: you have a loving Savior. And He died for you, too - not just everyone else that's around you. You are covered under His Atonement.

Change is a desire that we can come to want. We can find excitement in the opportunity to change and grow. The purpose of life on this earth was not to just come and live, but to learn. To grow. To achieve. The change.

Through Him, anything and everything is possible.