Making changes takes practice

It is often said that people never change, but it turns out that there is at least some truth behind this statement.

According to Entrepreneur magazine, people have a hard time changing because much of what they do becomes automatic over time.

As it turns out, your brain handles new things much differently than it handles something done a million times before.

Imagine asking a person to cross their arms. The limbic system drives the body’s physical action the first time this is done. This is the place that stores memories and habits. If that same person is asked to cross their arms the other way, the prefrontal cortex will control the movement. This part of the brain is responsible for higher-level thinking and planning. If that person crossed their arms the second way long enough, it would become the new response of the limbic system.

Why Practice Works
People tend to resist change for various reasons, but one constant is that the brain has to work extra hard to learn and adapt to changes. This effort increases the longer a habit has been ingrained into the mind, and undoing bad habits requires a steady supply of willpower. Luckily forming new habits is a trainable behavior and practicing it turns changing habits into a habit.

Tips for changing
These ideas can help a person to effect change more easily:
Logic can not counter emotion — Fear and anxiety often accompany changes, and there is nothing that can be done for this other than to process those feelings and accept reality.

Find the benefits
If there is no distinct advantage to changing, then ask yourself what negative things will happen if you don’t change.

Seek and manage barriers
Remove excuses, take away crutches, and try to look ahead to avoid obstacles that can lead to failure.

Stay around the right people
Find the people that give you energy and motivation to succeed with your goals and avoid those that build negativity.

Don’t lose sight of the big picture
Once a change is made, it is considered growth. Imagine the result and remember that the challenge is part of the experience.