The second stage of change is called contemplation. This is the point you get to where you are able to acknowledge that something is NOT right, and needs to be changed. This is the stage where you admit that you’ve got a problem in a particular area.
At this stage you become more aware of the benefits of implementing change in your life, however you are still a bit ambivalent and sitting on the fence about if the pro’s of changing certain behaviours really outweighs the con’s of leaving things the way they are.
When you find yourself at the contemplation stage and you want help getting ‘off the fence’ as yourself questions such as:
- Why do I want to change?
- What price am I paying by leaving things just as they are?
- If nothing changes in a month, a year, or 5 years, how will my life look and feel?
- What’s standing in the way of me making this change?
- What are some things (who are some people) that can help me make this change?
In order to increase the motivation surrounding wanting to change, questions (such as the ones listed above) are very important to wrestle with. Don’t shy away, be honest and face the issue standing right in your face.
Colleen