“I would love to get in shape but it just isn’t a good time. So many weekends away, a family reunion, and my best friend is getting married. Maybe in a couple of months when life slows down and I will be able to focus more on me.”
Have these words crossed your lips, or have you heard others say the same thing? Is it a legitimate reason to not make a change, or is it just a well-planned excuse for not having to put in the effort to change?
People talk about how much weight they need to lose or how much they would love to start exercising regularly, but that is as far as the conversation goes. When pushed, the excuse, “I just don’t have time right now” is inevitably what comes out.
But how legitimate is this reasoning?
Honestly, it is a bunch of hooey.
LIfe is not a straight shot from A to B and B to C….it has twists and turns, ups and downs, and if you wait for the perfect time to make changes in your life, you are going to be the exact same person you are today in twenty years. The mistake people make is in the mindset they have when they go into making changes. They expect things to go smoothly, without any bumps or obstacles, and when the inevitable roadblock pops up, they take that as a sign that the change is a bad idea. The fear of failure sets in and they give up, deciding it is better to make the decision themselves as opposed to taking the chance of possibly not being successful.
Psychologically, the process of change can be difficult unless you know how to make a change in your mindset and attitude regarding change and you prepare for it. According to the teachings of Dave Smith, online fitness business coach and creator of the Online Trainers Federation, there are four “Zones of Change”:
- Comfort
- Fear
- Learning
- Growth
In order to make a change in your life, you must go through each of the zones, in order. Being in each zone requires that you be at peace with where you are and know that the changes you are trying to make are in your best interest.
Your brain is so amazingly powerful. When you make a decision to change a habit in your life, you are in the Comfort Zone….you might not be completely happy so you look at making changes but overall, you are in a place that is familiar and known and your brain likes that. The next zone you enter is the Fear Zone and that is when your brain starts to realize that you are seeking to disrupt the apple cart and make changes, and because it wants the status quo, it will present you with many reasons to give up and return to the Comfort Zone. And at the top of the list of reasons to give up is, ”It just isn’t a good time”.
Don’t let your brain overpower your resolve to better your life and ride out your time in the Fear Zone, because it is when you feel like giving up and times are challenging, you are on the cusp of a major breakthrough. Don’t give up and go back to the Comfort Zone….ride it out and get to the Learning Zone. In this zone you learn many new things about your new habit and ways to incorporate it into your life and you see the benefits. That finally gets you to the Growth Zone where you have reached your goal and the change is a regular part of your life and you start to look at setting new goals.
Life is always going to happen and things aren’t ever going to be peaceful and calm for a sustained period of time. If you don’t jump on making changes now, regardless of what is going on in your life, you are just making another excuse that will keep you stuck in the same place.
Now is always a good time to improve your life. Seek to make changes no matter what is happening, and you will become better equipped to deal with whatever life throws your way. It is always the right time for change.