The 3 greatest change barriers and how to overcome them

Ever embarked on a change in your life or work, only to find that your enthusiasm and motivation for it sizzled out after an initial 'honeymoon period'?

You're not the only one!

There are many barriers standing in our way to starting a change, and then following through with it, and actually making it happen. I run an ongoing survey on life and change (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B5ZX5JQ) where people interested in making changes in their life and living a life they love can let me know their views, what they're most struggling with in their life and what they find hardest about change.

The top three change barrier results from my survey were:

1) Not knowing what to do.

2) Losing energy, motivation, faith or courage.

3) Feeling overwhelmed, and an inability to make decisions.

Sound familiar or are yours different?

Each one of these barriers can really sap our energy and readiness for taking action towards the change we want in our lives or push us off our change after we got started. And keeps us in that unhappy place of discontent we wanted to get away from in the first place! 

This happens to many people and is nothing to feel bad about. Oftentimes, a change needs a few attempts, and some recouping, learning and adjusting in between, in order to come off successfully. That's totally fine.

My top three tips for overcoming the three barriers 

I could write a small book on each of them! But if I were to give you just one quick tip on each barrier, I'd say this:

1) Don't know what to do? Be open and collect potential what-to-do snippets: Ideas. Experiments. Opinions. Facts and knowledge. Examples. Role-models. Inspiration. Have your feelers out, be open and collect them all. In a scrap book, journal, a poster on the wall, or even in a spread sheet. Try some of them out if they draw you or if you're unsure if they'd work for you. In small ways, if possible - get a taster first, without fully committing. Then make a list of the most likely, impactful or favourite things you could do.

Is it even possible to prioritise them? Can you now see where you might start?

2) Lost energy, motivation, faith or courage? Get yourself support and structure: A change buddy is great - someone who wants to work towards a similar change to yours. A friend to regularly report back to, or 'use' as a sounding board. Or a coach, who will not only support and strengthen you, but also help you solve any issues you come across, and stay accountable to yourself for the change you want to create. Meet or speak regularly to keep your change at the top of your mind, and increase your chances of following through with it!

Who's the right change support for you?

3) Overwhelmed? Unable to make decisions? Stop. Reduce. Simplify. Prioritise. Radically: There's no other way about it. When we're overwhelmed, we've got more on our plate then we can chew and process. This throws our brain into a tilt, so we can't think clearly anymore. And it severs our connection to our inner wisdom, that place in us which knows what's right for us. So when you're overwhelmed, before you do anything else: Stop whatever you're doing. Or do less for a while. Simplify and prioritise. The more radically you take stuff off your plate, the more you'll give your brain and heart a chance to re-gain clarity. And come to the right decisions for you.

What can you take off your plate today?

I hope these help!