Motivate Yourself to Kill Old Habits and Improve Your Life

One of the best ways to handle difficulties in your life is to set strong intentions. Numerous individuals desire to be different, but they just do not understand how to go about making the changes they'd like to see. Grand goals are frequently set and rarely accomplished since most people don't understand how to properly set an intention or goal.

At the time of setting an intention to modify your life, you should be specific and make goals that are measurable and attainable in order to be successful. Visualize your goals. Deciding to do something differently is basically saying that you'll cease to continue in your routine way of approaching life and will replace the old behaviors with new ones.

This is a lot like starting a new exercise routine - you'll be keyed up at first, and you'll start to feel resistance, particularly as your muscles throb and you experience pain as you increase your strength in a new area. And you are likely to return to previous habits if you do not have a personal trainer to report to, or if you don't have clear, assessable, and distinct goals to attain. Seeing your improvement is a great way to get the motivation you need to continue on.

Here's how to set goals that will be successfully achieved: be clear and have a way to measure your progress every day. And for those who need extra support, having an "intentions buddy" or a life coach can make a world of difference!

Various families I mentor communicate a wish for improved communication. This is a good example of a general goal. Collectively we will explore ways for them to become more detailed and precise. I ask them questions like: What does improved communication look like? How would you know that your family is communicating at the level you want? How would life in your family change?

Once these questions are answered, then the family comes up with specific, measurable ways to determine their "communication progress" on a regular basis. One family came up with a weekly family event where they passed an ice-cream maker around a circle and whoever was cranking when the music stopped was the one who shared about their week and about how they were doing in general.

Create a routine, a structure, and the means of determining if the goal is being reached.

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Emily Bouchard is a loving stepmother to two young women who were teenagers when she entered their lives. She publishes a free Blended Family newsletter.