You Can’t Effectively Make Changes if you are Not Honest with Yourself.

One of the most effective strategies for making real and lasting changes in your life, is to get really honest about where you are today. While it is important to have a roadmap for where you are going, if you are not honest about where things are now, and how they got to be the way they are, it will be harder to get to your destination.

To start this process, ask yourself what is one thing that you would like to change. It may be tempting to want to make a list of 3, or 5, or even 10 things, however, start with one thing and you can add others as you go. Once you identify the one thing you want to start with, ask yourself the following questions and then answer them, being as specific as possible. If you want my guide to help you though this process step-by-step, click HERE.

• Why is it important for me to make a change in this area?

• What do I want this change to look like? How do I want things to look and feel when I have made the change?

• How do things look and feel right now? What are all the things I don’t like about where things are currently?

• When did I start feeling like this? Did things slowly get worse or was there a sudden change all at once?

• Why are things the way they are now? These are all the factors that I think contributed to getting me to where things are now.

• Of the factors above, which ones are likely excuses?

•  Of the factors above, which ones are not excuses, but things that I do have some control over?

• Of the factors above, which ones do I have no control over at all?

• What is my mindset about my current situation? Do I have hope that I can take control and make things better?

• If the answer to the previous question is no, what will it require for me to be hopeful that I can change my situation?

• Are there any people, online communities, or other places where I can be with people who will encourage me and support me? (If you are looking for a community of supportive women, you can join my Live Your Best Boss Lady Life Facebook group HERE. If you are looking for more inspiration and encouragement, you can follow me on Instagram @bestbossladylife HERE.)

• Again, ask yourself, why is it important for me to make a change in this area?

If you find it challenging to answer all the questions above, take your time. Walk away and come back to it if needed and be sure to use the free guide that accompanies this article which you can get HERE. This process may have brought up some negative emotions, however, acknowledging them and being clear about where things are now, will help you move forward with a realistic plan. Don’t criticize yourself or beat yourself up for being where you are now, instead, give yourself credit for doing the above activity and challenging yourself to make a change. This is something that only a small fraction of people are willing to do. Once you have answered all the questions above, it’s time to ask yourself the next set of questions.

• From the list of the things that may be excuses, what can I do/tell myself so that they are no longer excuses that hold me back?

• From the list of things that are factors over which I have some control, what specifically can I do to take control of them moving forward.

• From the list of things that are factors over which I have no control, how can I minimize any negative impact they will have on me achieving my goal?

• What is the mindset I will need to help me keep moving forward, even when things get challenging?

Once you have clearly outlined all the questions above, you are ready to create your roadmap and plan out week by week what you will do to get you to your end result. One thing that can happen when working towards a goal is that you may find yourself focusing on all the things you have not achieved yet. While focusing on where you want to go is critical, it is also important to recognize and celebrate the progress you are making each day, each week, and each month. Even if it is small progress, acknowledge it and celebrate it. You will get more of what you focus on, and you will feel better about yourself while on your journey. You’ve got this and I am here cheering you on!

Live Your Best Boss Lady Life!

~ Karen

If you want more strategies, tips, and inspiration, follow me on Instagram HERE.