It's now 40 days since many of you resolved to change something and if you've made it this far without slipping back, well done!
Of course not everyone is giving something up. Whilst it's a traditional time to stop smoking or get back on a diet, other people are starting, rather than stopping something. Gyms and health clubs see a surge in new members every January, but having worked as a therapist in a health club for 15 years before opening my own therapy centre, I have witnessed this phenomenon first hand and gyms in January can be bedlam. Now that we are into February, attendance will have diminished and many will have stopped going altogether.
If you started an evening class in January, do you still go when it's cold, wet or snowy and if so, is your class getting smaller week by week? Those who decided in January that a career change was needed and signed up for an expensive training course, may be more committed. Some believe the more money an individual invests in their change, the more committed they will be, and this is why some hypnotherapists charge a very high fee for smoking cessation sessions. I'm not sure if this theory is watertight though - do super swanky health clubs retain more members than mainstream gyms?
I believe a lot of it comes down to wanting something enough, being able to see yourself doing things differently and making sure your goals are realistic. This doesn't mean you need to think small, but if you can't visualise how it will look and feel when you have 'got there' and can't mentally rehearse the outcome, you are less likely to succeed.
February is a busy month for me, as many who failed to keep to their resolutions, seek help with change. Specialising in hypnotherapy for weight loss and eating issues, I see lots of men and women all year round who want to change their relationship with food and stop yo-yo dieting. Other habit change such as smoking and drinking forms a fair chunk of my work at this time of year. One client who wasn't ready to quit smoking at New Year, has booked a hypnotherapy session with me next week in time to quit for lent, which for them could be an added incentive. Like 'Stoptober' where people were encouraged to stop smoking for 30 days, lent could offer the habit interruption that can make changing easier.
It really doesn't matter if you've stumbled and haven't changed your life in January - you can choose to make changes at any time. When there's no pressure and no-one knows your plan, you may find it easier. Why not make March 1st your 'start' or 'stop' day or as that famous slogan says, 'Just do it'
