1. People
decide to change for lots of different reasons. Fear of disease
and disability is one powerful motivator to
do things differently, but the trigger for change also can be personal
and very idiosyncratic.
2. Once usually isn't
enough. Most people try and
fail several times before they successfully change habits like
smoking. It's helpful to think of those
failed attempts as practice.
3. Working at some changes is forever. In the case of behaviors like eating
and exercising, figuring out how to maintain healthy behaviors over a lifetime
can be more important than finding ways to stop doing 'bad' behavior.
4. The only constant in change is change itself -- what worked yesterday
may not work today or tomorrow. Strategies for managing a chronic disease
or maintaining healthy behaviors usually need to be tweaked over time and
in response to new circumstances.
5. A little structure makes a big difference in changing behaviors: Plan.
Keep track of what happens. Change the plan if it isn't working. Repeat as
necessary.
6. There are a lot of potholes in the road to change. Anticipating trouble
spots and thinking about ways to get around those spots can help keep efforts
to change on track.
7. Most people change on their own, without special programs or interventions,
but seek help and tips as they need them.
8. People who do use programs to help them change often find different types
of programs, books, and other tools helpful at different times.
9. What works for one person may not help another person at all. Matching
information about change with what a person wants to know -- and how he or
she learns best -- makes success more likely.
© Center
for the Advancement of Health 2005
