Dancing on jell-o: becoming the change that you want to see

by Elad Levinson

Barack Obama identified a theme that is universal and covers much more than politics and elections. “Change that we can believe in”- that struck a chord with us I would speculate because we know that change is difficult to initiate, sustains and maintain. In government, as in weight loss and health improvement, it is our tendency to maintain the status quo even if it will kill us, the planet and all forms of sentient life.

I have been a student of change, change mastery, and systemic change in a variety of contexts: as a psychotherapist helping clients become successful with initiating and maintaining changes they desire, with companies who are trying to change a process, team, function or whole system, with families as they struggle with changing their patterns as a family unit. It really doesn’t matter what the size, complexity or nature of the intent to change- there are methods and practices that govern whether change is successfully implemented.

Here are five steps that all change must follow to move from a current state to a future desired state:
1.    Describe the current situation in detail with regard to what you want to be different. Examples might be, I don’t want to be in this job any more, I want to work for someone I admire, I want more responsibility, I like it when I am in charge of something and it is up to me to decide how to get it done right and best.
2.    Describe the future as you would like to see it as a good end state that is reasonable and specific enough that you would know if you arrived there.  Examples: I want to be healthy, I want to be able to exercise regularly without pain, I intend to be able to walk with my grandchildren when we go to the park, I want to live to be 90 but not bent over with arthritis, I want to be flexible and have strong muscles all over- not a weight lifter body kind of strength, just strong, able to lift, turn a jar top and go grocery shopping without a walker.  
3.    Pick a small step in the direction you intend to go. If you cannot find an incremental step, then ask for help from someone who has done what you want to accomplish so you get ideas from them.
4.    Find a few people who are like minded and motivated to make positive change as you are and form a support team. Get together frequently enough that you never feel alone in your pursuit of health.
5.    Keep a gratitude list of the little changes you are making that you feel grateful for.  Remind yourself what you are happy about due to your efforts.  Make gratitude your attitude-it’s no platitude!