Transforming our lives with one small change

It is well documented that change is challenging and we tend to resist it all the way, even when we know we're not happy with the status quo. Change often happens without our consent and we can end up flattened and struggling to catch up. The thing is, even when we want to make a change, it can feel overwhelming. We don't know where to start and we're afraid of the implications. What if we make the change and we're not happier, or God forbid, things are somehow worse in the end? There's a lot of fear involved. We just don't know and we can remain stuck long term, or indefinitely. What if we could transform our lives, experience minimal discomfort and take very little risk....?

Apparently, if we make one small change, we can alter our entire lives for the better,  without giving it much thought. The experts say that each day is made up of habits, rather than well-considered decisions, to the tune of 40% or more habitual activities. Each of these "auto-pilot" actions on it's own doesn't seem like a big deal, but over time, the meals we order, how we talk to our loved ones, how we organize our thoughts etc. can have an enormous impact on our lives and well being. Supposedly, if we focus on shifting just one of these "Keystone" habits, we can actually teach ourselves how to reprogram other routines in our lives as well. Neurological patterns in the brain can be overriden by new patterns. Our brain actually changes, as the old neurological patterns are crowded out by new urges. The brain can develop new areas of behavior, such as inhibition or self-discipline, so new and more beneficial behaviors can become automatic to us. This technique has been successfully applied to business as well, by such companies as Starbucks, P&G and Target. By applying this approach to employees, and the business overall, companies have successfully influenced customer purchasing habits and enjoyed higher profits. So, perhaps we can come up with just one troublesome habit (that we've probably already considered changing), do that one thing differently ... and then keep making small adjustments until we're living the life of our dreams. How great would that be:) (For more info, check out The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg).

Blessings,

Chatgirl