Focusing on the Positives of Change

“From a wellbeing perspective now could be a great time to make positive lifestyle and behaviour changes. Focusing on the positive possibilities as we are being forced into dramatic changes, can help our mental and physical wellbeing”

Human beings are great at change and we are all changing from the minute we are born but this might not be our initial thought. The eloquent words in Polly Morland’s ‘Metamorphosis: How and Why We Change’, she discovers how ‘We do not fear change – we fear loss’:

How about flipping this?
Focusing on the positive possibilities as we are being forced into dramatic changes can help our mental and physical wellbeing.

I am aware that too much of anything can seemingly make a positive become a negative: – not enough time to do the things that we enjoy…or too much time without the previous focus that we had? But how about if we decide and chose to ‘flip’ that and make any extra time we have productive.

From a wellbeing perspective now could be a great time to make positive lifestyle and behaviour changes. To introduce new habits that will enable you to be the best version of yourself. Look after your most important commodities – your body and your mind. Start treasuring them and nurturing them as they deserve. Stop abusing them with too much alcohol, processed foods and inadequate amounts of sleep and physical activity.

Identify what behaviours are having a negative impact on your wellbeing. Chose new positive actions that you can swap in their place. Plan when and how you can do that, and what support and resources you will need to help you.

Always try to do this from a positive angle such as: planning delicious and nutritious meals (not what foods to avoid); planning when and how to be active (not what activity wasn’t achieved). It is so easy to think about the nots, the losses and the what ifs.

Be stronger than that. Focus on moving forwards. Build the picture of what your change will look like. A visual, solid, real image that you can move towards. That you believe and can see.

Onwards and upwards. Focus on how great it is to feel and look strong, healthy, energised, trim, supple and value the most precious thing that we have – our body & mind.

Read Polly’s book when you have a moment and see from the 19 life stories combined with a wealth of smart thinking from psychology, philosophy, literature and science how we are all changing from the minute we are born. And how GREAT we are at coping with change and changing ourselves.