How to Change Your Life in 3 Months: Accomplish Anything with These Simple Questions

In order to make a change that sticks, you have to make it manageable. If you read my last post about getting unstuck, your head is probably spinning from so much focused (yet awesome), personal real-talk. You’re looking at everything you were told to believe about success and wondering, “but is that what I think?”  Yes, you will probably feel really overwhelmed after doing all of this intense, internal reflecting. Getting clear can be energizing, however realizing how much change you have to make can feel defeating if you don’t know how to start in a sustainable way.

I know I definitely felt this way, and I still do. Making a major lifestyle change seemed impossible—as if I had to totally reprogram myself to shift years of thinking and believing a certain way. Plus, the mere factor of letting go of something I had put so much effort into was tough to digest. It’s a classic sunk cost fallacy conundrum.

Obviously, you can’t make every change all at once. I know we would like to, but we have to be patient with ourselves and get comfortable with the fact that these things take time. You are trying to change years of conditioning to think, believe, value, and strive in one way. It’s going to take learning, practice, and some (many) stumbles to grow the strength to redirect.

Start slow & build up

Build these muscles slowly. Eventually, you will get stronger and be able to take on more. No matter what your goal is, this concept is key. You don’t decide to start working out and then walk straight into the gym with the power lifters, try to bench press 100 pounds, and get frustrated when you can’t do it. You’re just asking to seriously hurt yourself. First, you start with learning what kind of exercise you like, studying the technique, and trying a few bodyweight reps. Then, when you feel ready, you add some reps and maybe some light weights.

If you keep practicing and building off of what you did the day before, one day you can walk right over to that rack and bench press those 100 pounds. Take it easy and just focus on trying to be a little bit better today than you were yesterday. Those intimidating power lifters had to learn how to lift weights once, too, and learn how to build their strength without injuring themselves. Everyone starts somewhere!

Focus on your goal & break it up

So, make it manageable. You have a goal: you’re clear on where you want to go and why. (If not, no worries! Try reading my last post for some inspiration) Amazing! Write that goal down, put it on a post-it, and stick it to your mirror. Stare at it everyday so it imprints onto the backs of your eyelids. Eyes on the prize, friends.

And now, don’t worry about that scary, far away future. Focus on right now—literally.

What is one thing you can do today to take you a step in that direction?

For example, you could go on a 30 minute walk, swap a meal for a healthier option, meditate for 3 minutes, ask that scary question, go to bed 1 hour earlier, wash your face, make your bed… The options are endless, but the idea is that these are all little, simple things—and something that you can literally do right now.

Okay, now its time to make a plan:

• What is something that you could do this week?
• This month?
• In 3 months?

Build on that one small action a little bit everyday. The thing you do today, right now, do that everyday for the next 3 months. What you do this week? Do it every week.

Learn, celebrate, and go again!

After 3 months, you will be shocked at how much you have changed. I used this exact approach for starting my fitness goal 2 years ago. Day 1 started with a 30 minute walk and I ended month 3 thirty pounds lighter. I was healthier than I’ve ever been (even when I was swimming full-time in college), had rosacea-clear skin, and for the first time in 7 years, I was getting 8 hours of sleep every night. As an anxiety-prone, stressed out, blotchy-skinned insomniac who completely let go of taking care of herself, this was a major deal. That was after 3 months!! Imagine the change you can make in a year.

When you get to month 3, see how it went:

• How far did you come?
• What went well, and what didn’t?
• If you could start over, what would you do differently?
• What did you learn?
• What are you most proud of?

Most importantly, CELEBRATE!!! Omg, you did something amazing!!! Appreciate all of the wonderful progress you made, and then re-start. Just set the bar higher! Add some new exercises, pick up heavier weights. Set new intentions for today, this week, this month, and in 3 months…and go again 🙂

Shine on!

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