I’m sure we have all struggled with making sustainable change over our lifetime. Let's take creating a New Year’s resolution as an example. Over 80% of these resolutions are abandoned within a week. If change were easy, we wouldn't have the multi-trillion dollar industries that support change. For example, the weight loss industry, the wealth creation industry, and the relationship industry. It can be frustrating when you know what you want to do but can't get yourself to do it consistently. If we know the new behaviour would obviously be of benefit, then what is it that makes change so difficult?

With so much information to help you achieve whatever your goal may be, it’s hard to comprehend how you could possibly fail! If this is the case, then what is missing?

Here’s what comes to my mind immediately:

▷ The #1 Reason
The main reason is that we have a well-worn neural pathway in our brain created by repeating the same way of being for a long time. Regardless of how dysfunctional or unhelpful this way of being is to us, we will always revert back to this state unless we can consistently practice the new way of being. We return to this state because it is familiar, and we know how to be in it. Just think about the last course you did, it doesn't matter what the subject was, my question to you is, were you able to sustain the learning from that course? If so, how long were you able to maintain the learning? How long before what you learned in the course became part of your knowledge bank and disappeared from being implemented into your daily life?

The next point is critical in successfully changing the physiological programming in your brain.

▷ Support
To successfully change habitual patterning, which comes from our brain's well-worn neural pathway, we need support. It’s essential to gain clarity about what kind of support will be helpful to you during your change process. Often the cookie-cutter approach only meets part of the needs required to sustain any transformation you make.

We often set ourselves up to fail because we usually can't see what is out of our awareness.

Any change will not be sustainable if all aspects of yourself are not considered. For example, if you want to lose weight and the only focus is on food, you may lose some weight, and it's likely you won’t be able to sustain the loss unless your mind and emotional state are considered. The other consideration from an Ayurvedic point of view is your constitution. Different foods have differing actions in people depending on what your constitution is. We are all individuals, and this needs to be acknowledged and valued for change to occur.

To truly make long-lasting changes, there are three things you need to have success.

Without this knowledge and awareness, you will continue to do the same things, and you will continue to get the same results. By incorporating these three skills, you are giving yourself the tools for change to occur, and you are empowering yourself to take hold of the reins of your life.

▷ Habits
Habits are strong and pervasive because they are subconscious. It doesn’t matter if it’s classified as a good or bad habit. The average person has far more habits than they realize. Each morning, you wake up and follow the same routine. You may take the same path to work. You think the same thoughts as you did the day before. Much of your day and night is a repeat of the last 500. If it is a habit, it is not a conscious action.

Habits avoid thinking. They’re done automatically. Anything that minimizes thinking seems to be your brain’s preference. The fewer decisions, the better. Your habits will always win as long as they stay out of your consciousness.

▷ It’s Uncomfortable
It is often the thought of taking the actions necessary to accomplish any change that creates discomfort. Often you already know how to make the change you desire on an intellectual level. If you had to lose weight, I bet you know what to do to make that happen. If you wanted to find a better job, I bet you know what to do to make that happen.

The neural pathway in your brain, which has you being the way you are, is a comfortable place even if dysfunctional and not helpful to you. You know how to be in this. Most of us find it very difficult to sit in discomfort and want to avoid it at all costs. This then becomes one of the most substantial challenges to change.

You may even feel like what you are currently doing is working for you, which then becomes enough. It keeps you in the comfortable range.

We are hardwired for survival, and our brain is programmed to resist change because what you're currently doing is allowing you to survive. If we think about it, the neural pathway created in your brain was initially created as a way of surviving. Any change could potentially be recognized as a threat to your survival. You might be unhappy, but you’re still alive!

Most of us learn to tolerate our circumstances rather than facing uncertainty and being uncomfortable.

Our previous attempts to change go down as failures, and we often start any new effort to change from the subconscious place of knowing that we had tried to change before and failed. It's like we already know somewhere deep inside us that we won't be able to change because we have a data bank of previous attempts and suspect this attempt will be added to that data list.

▷ Tips For Making Change
Sustainable change isn’t easy, and it is possible!

▷ Expand Your Comfort Zone
As I mentioned earlier, most of us avoid discomfort at all costs. It’s one of the most significant limiting factors for many people. Suppose you could allow yourself to become more comfortable with discomfort. In that case, you may find that procrastination, perfectionism, and quitting will not be able to sabotage your efforts. You may find that you can complete everything you ever wanted to accomplish while being compassionate toward yourself. When you change your inner world, you change your outer world.

6 Steps to expand your comfort zone:

Have an amazing day, and remember, I am here for you. I love to hear how you are going.

May you be well, may you be happy, and may you have inner peace.