There are times in our lives when we realize something is broken. Maybe you wake up one day and realize that the way you’ve been eating is making you sick or your sedentary lifestyle is causing you to put on weight. It could be that you realize your job is not the right fit for you. Perhaps you begin to see that your perception of God is not Biblical. Throughout our lives, there will be times when something in our lives is not working. The question is, “What do you do when you see something is wrong?”
Below are 3 Things You Need Before Making a Change
1. Check Your Expectations
First, it’s essential we allow ourselves time to make lasting changes. Just because we recognize something is not working does not mean things will change overnight. There are many moving layers, pieces, or parts, and we must be willing to offer ourselves grace throughout this process. A big first step in making any positive change is to set reasonable expectations.
What is reasonable?
Good question! My frustrating and somewhat snarky counter would be: It depends. If you are changing a process, how long have you been entrenched in this pattern? Three days, three weeks, or three years? Changing lifestyle habits, such as eating or exercising, starting small, and building over time, is crucial. Are you changing jobs? Depending on the role, this could take a few weeks, months, or even years.
So, yes, it depends.
2. A Support System
If you want to change something, I suggest doubling down on your support system. Sure! The self-made, self-sufficient story is romantic, but it’s a myth or, at best, a lie. As unpopular as it may seem, people need people.
We all need a community or at least someone cheering in our corner. We need someone to pick us up off the floor when the weight of the world has crushed our spirit. We need someone to check in on us and ask the tough questions. Plain and simple, we need others we can depend on.
3. A Clearly Defined Why
What gets you out of bed when everything tells you to crawl back? When everything is hard, what do you want so badly that you will say no to immediate comfort to keep fighting? When you have spent everything you have on a cause, what will motivate you to give more? What will keep you from giving up when all seems lost?
Understanding why or, more specifically, who you are fighting for is vital to enduring when everything inside of you wants to quit.
