The secret to change and how to make it last ...

Change doesn’t always happen easily. Many people want it but can struggle to achieve it. We often start with good intentions but find that, despite our best efforts, making change is hard, beyond us, or sometimes it doesn’t even start at all.

The secret to making change easier and longer-lasting can be to understand the positive aspects of what you currently do. If you don’t, any change may be short-lived. This applies to many types of behaviour, including how you manage yourself and your relationships, how you communicate, your habits, anxiety, fears or anything else.

Human behaviour often has a purpose or positive intention, even though, on the surface, it may seem negative or even self-destructive. If you dig a little deeper, you may find positive things you gain from the behaviour; otherwise, you may not continue doing it.

If you want to make a change, particularly a lasting change, then it can help to understand this concept. Once you do, you can look at new, different and better ways to serve this positive intent. As you do this, a new picture of you may begin to emerge.

To make change last, it’s also important to look at everything you have going for you right now. You can then decide whether some of these things are worth keeping. By studying the underlying reasons or motivating forces for what you currently do, you may be able to uncover the intentions and values that drive and support your current behaviour.

By working with a coach, you make a commitment to yourself and to the things you really want, which can help keep you motivated, focused and on track. Coaching can also help you discover your inner resources and work towards your potential. It can take courage, but it may be worth it.