Keep the change ~ Becoming the Greatest Expression of You

Change

Creating change actually can be reasonably easy. The challenge is how do you keep the change?

Almost daily someone will tell me about a change they want to make in their life or tell me about how they tried to change in the past and failed. Those of us who have lived the life of a yo-yo dieter know that the road to hell really is paved with good intentions!

Take a moment now and think about the New Year’s Resolutions that you made. How’s that working for you?

As I have previously written, one of the many difficulties of making lasting change is that old behaviors, thoughts and emotions are addictive. Your body has become used to the chemicals produced by those behaviors, thoughts and emotions and doing and being different puts your body into an uncomfortable chemical scramble. “I feel wonky” or “I feel out of whack” are descriptors that I often hear. And, no matter how much misery they may cause you, they are known, familiar and even comfortable. Stepping outside the comfort zone to achieve the changes that you want can be uncomfortable and downright scary.

The old patterns that you want to change are the hypnotic trance that you live in. You have fired and wired those same neurons so many times that they have become part of your personality. These patterns are what you have memorized. It’s normal and natural for you and it’s just what you do. So, how do you keep the change? How do you un-memorize this old way of being that you want to change?

Observe

To make sure that no behavior, no thought or no emotion that causes you to return back to the old self goes unnoticed by you, become conscious of those unconscious states of mind and body

How did you used to feel? What did you think when you felt that way? What voice did you believe that you no longer want to accept as your reality?

Observe those thoughts and begin to separate yourself from the program. How did you once behave? How did you speak? Where in your body do you feel this? Become conscious of those unconscious states to such an extent that they would never go unnoticed by you again.

When you begin to objectify the subjective mind, to begin to observe the program, means you are no longer the program. Awareness is your goal.

Remind yourself who you no longer want to be, how you no longer want to think, how you no longer want to behave, and how you no longer want to feel. Become familiar with all aspects of the old personality, and just observe.

The more you observe these behaviors, thoughts and emotions, the more familiar and aware you are, the more conscious you become making it quicker and easier to avoid or get out of them.

Keep the change

My Greatest Expression of You process is one way that you can keep the change that you desire. When you use this practice over time, you can begin to recognize the early warning signs that those old patterns of behavior, thought and emotion are starting to bubble up.

The moment you notice that familiar feeling starting to come up, say out loud or silently to yourself, “CHANGE!” And then change to being the Greatest Expression of You. Feel your joy and be your best self.

HINT: In Joyfully BE the Greatest Expression of You, I asked that you notice where in your body you feel the joy. When you become aware of the earliest niggling of that old self, literally put your hand on your body where you feel the old self and move your hand to where in your body you feel joy.

Go ahead right now and Mentally Rehearse this skill:

• Bring to mind the unwanted behaviors, thoughts and emotions.
• Notice the physical sensations in your body.
• Put your hand on that part of your body.
• As you then say or think “CHANGE,” move your hand to where you feel joy and be your best self.

You truly can make the change that quickly. You can make the change from being your old self to being your best self as quickly as you change your mind.

With the Greatest Expression of You practice, you actually can keep the change!