Learn how to stop making excuses for positive change in life

It's time to stop making excuses and start living life to the fullest. Here are a few reasons to start making positive changes in your life today.

It's time to stop making excuses and start living life to the fullest. Here are a few reasons to start making positive changes in your life today.

It's natural to want to stay the same. Change is hard and takes effort, but the benefits of change can often be well worth it. In this article, we'll show you how to start making some positive changes in your life today.

Decide to make a change

  • Decide to make a change.

  • Decide to make a change.

  • Set a goal for change.

  • Set a deadline for change.

  • Create a plan for change

Develop a mindset for change

person wearing gray and red hooded jacket facing back - Develop a mindset for change

It is crucial to develop a mindset for change. Why? Because when you’re stuck in your old habits, it becomes very difficult to think about anything else. It’s like being in a box with no windows or doors. You can try and try, but you won’t be able to find the way out unless someone opens up the box and helps you out of there. The same goes for changing your life and overcoming excuses: if you don’t have a proper mindset, you will always make excuses.

So what exactly is this “mindset” thing? Well, it means having an optimistic mindset towards change so that things don’t seem so overwhelming anymore (which makes them more manageable). Plus, this new positive attitude will give us more energy boosts throughout our day, making us feel more productive!

Here's how we can develop this positive attitude towards change:

Identify barriers

gray chain link fence - Identify barriers

You can identify barriers that are preventing you from achieving your goals by asking yourself the following questions:

  • What do I need to change? If you're not where you want to be in life, look at what needs to change. You may need a new or different mindset, or maybe it's time for some serious action.

  • What is holding me back? Look at all the factors that are keeping you from making progress. Are there any beliefs or habits holding you back? If so, how can they be changed?

Plan and prepare for actions

black marker on notebook - Plan and prepare for actions
  • To make positive changes in your life, you have to plan and prepare for them.

  • Breaking down the change into small steps makes it easier to achieve.

  • Be prepared for setbacks and try again.

  • Ask for help if necessary, but don’t give up!

Find the right time to start

Now that you're ready to start, it's important to find the right time. If you try to start too late in the day, your willpower will be drained from all of the previous decisions and tasks. Starting early will give you a boost of energy to make good decisions during the rest of your day. Some people prefer starting in the morning when their brains are fresh; others prefer starting after dinner when they've had some time to unwind from work and school. Either way is fine—just pick whatever works best for you!

Once you've decided on a time frame, plan exactly what steps will get you where you want to go. For example: "I'll wake up at 6 AM tomorrow morning, so I can have an hour before work." Or: "For my first goal-setting session this month, I'll sit down with my notebook at breakfast." Make sure these goals are realistic! If they aren't achievable now but would be possible later down the road, then don't worry about them yet - just pick something small instead (see What should I do first?).

Enlist support from others

  • Enlist support from others. If you're not sure where to turn for help, ask a friend or family member for advice. They may suggest making positive changes that can improve your life and make it easier to stop making excuses.

  • Find a mentor. Another way to get support is by finding someone who has already made positive changes in their own lives and asking them how they did it. You could also consider hiring a coach who can assist with implementing new habits into your routine while providing accountability when things get tough.

  • Join a support group or community of like-minded individuals working towards similar goals as yours—this will provide another layer of accountability and encouragement along the way!

  • Find an accountability partner. Someone holding you accountable for your goals is another great way to stay on track. You can share your plans with a friend or family member and ask them to check in with you regularly about how things are going.

You can choose to start making changes in your life.

You can choose to start making changes in your life.

You are in control of your life. You can choose to make a positive change in your life or decide not to make that positive change. In this way, you have the power and the freedom to decide who you want to be.

You may feel it is too late because so many

years have passed, or things happened beyond your control, but those are just excuses. If someone told me I couldn't do something because it was too late for me, I would make sure that person knew how wrong they were!

Conclusion

We hope that you’ve found this article helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at any time!

References

Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69-119.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0065260106000035

Koestner, R., Lekes, N., Powers, T. A., & Chicoine, E. (2002). Attaining personal goals: Self-concordance plus implementation intentions equals success. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(1), 231-244.

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-04241-014

Lau, K., & Gruenewald, T. L. (2018). Getting things done: The science behind stress-free productivity. The Behavioral Scientist.

https://behavioralscientist.org/getting-things-done-the-science-behind-stress-free-productivity/