Become A Master of Change

When to change? - What to change? - How to change?

For most of us, the thought of change can send us into a panic attack. For some of us, we might fear change because it disrupts our sense of security and consistency by challenging our perceptions. As much as we crave stability and security, change is an inevitable part of life and we can either choose to embrace it or resist it.

From the minute we are born, our body remains in constant change and resisting it only makes it harder to get through it. Resistance to change isn't because we purposely want to go against the grain; we do it because we're fearful of the unknown outcome. We don't know what's on the other side and for no rational reason we resist it, thinking that will help us.

The fear of change comes from the fact that change challenges the perceptions and beliefs that our life is built upon. When change challenges our perceptions, we are forced to step outside our comfort zone, and that's uncomfortable. Additionally, when our perceptions are challenged, so is the ground our life is built upon. We are forced through change, to refine our perceptions and belief systems that we thought were true. Let's face it, when the very perceptions and belief system your life is built on is threatened, it can be uncomfortable. But it can also be very rewarding and exciting.

Change is the inevitable constant refinement of our being. Whether you want it or not, change is inevitable. Inaction and resistance cannot completely stop change; it will only lessen your personal growth and add frustration to your life. You will become stagnant and remain inside the boundaries of a very limited life while everyone and everything grows around you. You aren't reading this article to stay the same, and I don't believe we were put on this earth to be stagnant - you want to grow and improve. Wouldn't you like to discover your potential? What about becoming a better person for you, your family, and the world?

Life is really a series of changes and each change is a challenge. It's an opportunity for us to learn - to grow - to expand. Some changes might be small while others may be large, but they each bring the opportunity to learn something new about yourself and the world around you.
With each new lesson you learn from the previous challenge, you become more adept at applying what you've learned to future growth and challenges. Change actually becomes much easier to handle because when you come out the other side, you gain valuable skills and experiences that you can apply to the rest of your life. Instead of being fearful, you may even have fun being more open to change because you know your life will be that much better.

With a constant refinement of perceptions and beliefs, change goes from sending us into a panic attack to being just another task we successfully complete. It goes from being a major incident to a whole new exciting adventure. With every change you make in your life, you become more adept at building solid ground no matter what the situation; and rationally dealing with your fear instead of allowing your perceptions to falsely magnify it. Change becomes fun and exciting, and you learn to actually welcome it.

Here's how you become a master of change:

Inaction and Resistance Carries Bigger Consequences
There's no way out and around it. Choosing inaction or resistance to change carries bigger consequences than choosing to face the change head-on in the first place. You are an ever changing person in an ever changing world and resistance just adds fear and frustration to every situation. Learn to be open to creating new and exciting adventures that change will bring.

Focus on the Desired End Result
Worrying about what might happen will not help you deal with what's at hand. Focus on where you want to be when the change is complete. The mind has an uncanny way of being a goal-achieving machine and will create your reality based on the thoughts you are focused upon. You want to keep your desired end result in mind at all times, and only think about what you want to happen not what you don't want to happen. What got you to where you are today isn't what will take you where you want to be. Look at your long-range desired results and embark on a new journey to even greater outcomes.

Rationalize Your Fear
Fear is a natural response, but try to identify what it is you are afraid of. Fear is usually the result of our mind creating hypothetical dramas that have no base in reality. If you find yourself fearful of the outcome of an impending change, ask yourself what you're afraid of. There is a solution to everything and when you rationalize your fear, you can see that you are going to be just fine. You can just suck it up, and as Nike says, "Just Do It." Do what you are afraid of doing and reap the benefits. You will quickly discover that the experience of change wasn't worth all that anxiety over the unknown. Each time you rationalize the fear, you will have greater courage to "Just Do It" in the future.

Break it into Manageable Pieces
For major changes, break it down into smaller manageable pieces. It's much easier to identify a solution when you can apply a strategy to deal with each step. When you know what you're going to do each step of the way, you can get to the end result with confidence and a rational strategy.

Last but not least, celebrate your victories. Each time you felt the fear and did it anyway, you were victorious and reaped the benefits of showing that you are a champion! Little by little you'll learn to trust your abilities more and to handle anything that comes your way. When you rationalize the fear and create successful strategies, you come out a winner on the other side. Look at change as a fun and exciting adventure. Reap the many rewards!

You can resist change, but only temporarily. When you resist the natural flow of the world, which is based on change, your life becomes a series of challenges that are amplified by your resistance. Resist them and you become a victim - embrace them and you become a true master of change.

I have lived a long life and had many troubles, most of which never happened.
MARK TWAIN
Celebrated American author

"Life and business are like the changing seasons.
You can't change the seasons, but you can change yourself."
- Jim Rohn

Anne M. Bachrach is known as The Accountability Coach^TM. She has 23 years of experience training and coaching. The objective is to work less, make more money, and have a more balanced life. Anne is the author of the book, Excuses Don't Count; Results Rule!, and Live Life with No Regrets; How the Choices We Make Impact Our Lives. Go to http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/landing/ and get 3 FREE gifts including a special report on 10 Power Tips for Getting Focused, Organized, and Achieving Your Goals Now. Join the FREE Silver Inner Circle Membership today and receive 10% off on all products and services, in addition to having access to assessments and resources to help you achieve your goals so you can experience a more balanced and successful life (http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/).

How to get motivated: 4 NLP strategies that work

Author: Anna Aparicio

/mo·ti·va·tion/

1. The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way

2. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something

3. *My own definition: the art of getting off your butt and getting stuff done

Because here is the thing: you may have a burning desire to do something, you may have the best will in the world, you may even know all the reasons why you should do it… but if you haven't done it yet, don't be surprised.

Getting motivated doesn't happen by coincidence or by miracle. Motivation is not something that some people have and others don't either. It is something we all do, consciously or unconsciously, everyday!

Motivation is not something you have or don't have; it is something you do

Take training, for example, notice I say training, and not exercising! We want to do it, we know it is good for us, we know it is going to make us look better and feel better… but after a hard day's work, when tiredness sets in, who would blame us for wanting to slouch on the couch and watch some TV while eating our favourite treat?

Well, think of taking a shower for a moment. Most of us do it every day. We don't wait until we are all stinky to clean ourselves. We do it because it is the right thing to do; it is time to take a shower.

We are able to do this because we have built up this good habit over the years through repetition. We do it at the same time, in the same place, following the same routine, which is so ingrained in our unconscious that we are barely aware of the process.

If you want to get to the point where your training routine goes as smoothly as your shower routine, start following the following NLP rules:

1# IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

Answer these questions:

What do you want specifically? When do you want it by? Where? With whom? What for? What will happen if you achieve that? What if you don't achieve that? Is it under your control? Is it worth it?

You see, when setting up goals, a lot of people do it wrong. They state what they want to have, not what they want to do; things like "I want to be slim", "I want a six pack" or "I want to have toned arms"… But, what do you want to do? Because it is as a result of you doing what you need to do that you will get to have what you want.

Your objective needs to be stated in a way that your brain understands it. And just like your computer, your brain needs 3 things: affirmative statements that are direct and very specific.

If you are just thinking it then it is not an objective, it is just a thought. So, put pen to paper and write your answers to the questions above.

If you don't know what you want, how will you know when you've got there?

 2# MAKE A PLAN

Again, if you don't have a plan, all you have is a lovely thought. I suggest you get yourself a diary, an excel sheet, a calendar, whatever works for you, and devise your personal strategy. A strategy to suit your lifestyle, your working schedule, etc…

Keeping the end result in mind, what is the first step you need to take in order for you to do what you need to do? And after that? What's next? Do you have all the resources you need (resources are materials, books, money, people…), or do you need help?

If it's going to take you 12 weeks to get a six pack, set a date and work backwards from there. If you want to lose a stone in 3 weeks, do the same. Break your objective into smaller, more achievable chunks, so that this week you know exactly what you are doing with regards to training and nutrition, and you can focus on just that. As I tell my clients, it's one week at a time, one day at a time.

You see, now you have more than just a nice thought; now you have a plan of action. And believe it or not, this is what most people lack. It's hard to get motivated if you don't know what you want to get motivated for!

And what are you going to do when you are tired, sad, in a mad mood, frustrated…? You must put strategies in place, so when that happens, and it will, you know exactly what to do. You have to become a bit of a ninja!

3# FIND OUT WHAT FIRES YOU UP

There are a lot of things that we need to or should do, but that doesn't mean we do them. So I want you to try on the following sentences, simply add what you want to be able to do at the end.

For example, if you want to go to the gym every day at 6pm for an hour, try these on. Say them out loud:

I should go to the gym – I need to go to the gym – I have to go to the gym – I'd better go to the gym -

I could go to the gym – I can go to the gym – I will go to the gym – I'm going to the gym

Do this a few times and notice which one creates the strongest feeling within you, like you want to go do it. You've just unlocked your personal motivational language. Make sure you use it from now on!

4# IMAGINE YOURSELF SUCCEEDING

One of the main functions of the brain is to prove itself right. So, whatever you focus on is magnified, as the brain thinks it is an objective of yours. Also, the brain doesn't know the difference between a vividly imagined memory and reality. This is why if you want to do something, it's vital you imagine yourself doing it like this (read this NLP resource fully before you do it):

 

Think of yourself doing the thing you want to do, training in the gym, or whatever. When you think about it you may notice the thought to be at a certain distance from you, a certain size, and in a certain place. Just make sure you see yourself in it, looking happy, positive and really enjoying what you are doing.

 Now, imagine the thought getting bigger and bigger until it's almost panoramic. Make sure it's big, bold and colourful, maybe add some sound to it, and notice how good you feel.

 Now, imagine you can float outside of your body and into yourself in the image, so you can see through your eyes, hear through your ears and feel how good it feels to be doing what you are doing and loving it too! Intensify everything even more, so the colours are brighter, the sounds louder and the feelings stronger.

 Now, tell yourself in your most motivating voice "Go For It!"

 Now, take a deep breath through the nose and magnify the feelings so you feel even more motivated!

 Repeat 3 times, first sitting down, and then standing up, and notice how you feel even more motivated!

It's vital that you build a propulsion system that makes you feel good and look forward to doing the things you want to do, so that you want to do them more and more. This is how you get to build up new more useful habits to last you a lifetime.

I've just shared 4 motivational strategies with you,  that when you use them, they will help you get more stuff done and achieve more, faster. They can be applied in any area of your life. These strategies have helped transform some of my clients from couch potatoes into fitness freaks, so good luck to you!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/how-to-get-motivated-4-nlp-strategies-that-work-5109860.html

About the Author

Anna Aparicio is regarded as Ireland's top female NLP/Hypnosis Life Coach. A Self-esteem and Confidence Expert, she has helped hundreds of women all around the world feel empowered, super confident, and lead happier more succesful lives. With a unique blend of Neuro-linguistic Programming, cutting edge personal development tools, and a contagious sense of humour and zest for life, Anna is renowned for getting results fast. Now you can get her free report WHY YOU'LL NEVER GET WHAT YOU WANT UNLESS YOU DO THIS at http://www.delite.ie