Many of us started this new year with a resolution to change something for self-improvement. It’s no secret that change is difficult. It’s a challenge to give up old habits: daily routines, eating foods high in fat, sugar, and salt, unhealthy or unfulfilling friendships, negative TV, empty or harmful social media, impulsive spending, and the list goes on.

Change can be overwhelming, and often involves addictions that are beasts all by themselves. Life can be regimented without purpose. For example, do you know why you sleep on one side of the bed for years and years, or what makes you spend until your home is overstuffed?

Do you ever feel like a robot? Do you get up and just do it all over again? Does it bring you joy, contentment, and inner peace? If so, keep on keeping on. But if it doesn’t, change is very likely the remedy, and as we know, change is not easy.

I find change to be a curious demon. For example, if I fall and break my wrist, which I have done in the past, slowing down, sitting more, asking for help, or finding new ways to occupy my mind and body is far easier because it is forced on me; I have no choice.

But if the decisions are not powered down on me, I can piddle, twiddle, and diddle through my days and weeks and therefore months stuck on the familiar hamster wheel.

Give yourself a chance at success by starting with a SMART goal:

S—simple

M—measurable

A—achievable/attainable

R—realistic

T—time-bound

I am adding consistency to the list. If you think about it, whether the change/goal is weight loss, exercise, addictions, or just healthy lifestyle changes, consistency is the magic of success. For example, any weight-loss program can work wonders if you follow it consistently.

Thinking back on my life, any job, education, achievement, new skill, project completion, or vacation did not happen without tenacity and consistency. If you do something long enough, you will likely succeed. Change happens one ounce, one penny, one “no” or one “yes” at a time.

With consistent hard work and determination comes success, and it can include benefits such as freedom, exhilaration, improved self-esteem, gratitude, fulfillment, confidence, possibilities, adventure, power, and happiness. The list is non-exhaustive.

Failure leads to feelings of failure, inadequacy, self-degradation, sadness, negative emotions, and self-degrading thoughts.

Consistency is what grows your SMART goal/change and makes it achievable. In return, your achievements mold you into the person you were, are, or want to be. There’s no luck to it.

It’s about your staying power.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

Jennifer Goble, Ph.D., LPC, is the author of “My Clients…My Teachers,” and the blogger and writer of Rural Women Stories: www.ruralwomenstories.com.

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