“I don’t know if I should run away or tiptoe” – Keaton Simons
This is post 19 in my quest for 30 in 30 and a cheap way to talk turkey before Thanksgiving.
Ease in or go cold turkey? It’s a common question when making a significant change in our lives. Sometimes when change is made for us the choice is taken away. For the most part though, we have to decide how rapidly we’re going to institute changes into our day to day.
I, personally, am a cold turkey kind of guy. It’s the technique I used for any changes I made in my diet among other things. Turning vegetarian then vegan then raw foodist were all quick decisions followed by quick and complete action. I think that the fastest way to make advancements in a change is to completely immerse yourself. Here are five tips to help you in your cold turkey transition.
- Know Your Goal.
- Surround Yourself.
- Have a buddy (or 2, or more).
- Form New Habits.
- Maintain it.
Change comes easier when you know exactly what you want and have a firm grasp on how you intend to get there. Layout your goals and markers for your success and celebrate every one that you achieve. Oh, and celebrating a success by doing the thing you’re trying to quit is defeatist. Celebrate by doing more of what got you there.
When making a significant cold turkey change total immersion in what you’re trying to do helps a lot. If you’re trying a new diet or making a dietary lifestyle change like becoming vegetarian or vegan, there is so much new information to learn that you are never at a loss for articles, recipes or ideas. Study up every day and before you know it you’ll have all the tools for success.
A support system is a fantastic way to make it through your transition period. Being around people who are already living the way you want to is inspirational. Not to mention that they’ve all been where you’ve been so they know what you’re going through. There are great groups out there depending on the changes you’re trying to make. From social groups to actual support groups there are many ways to find help through any difficulty you experience.
Making your new lifestyle changes into habits usually takes about 28 days on average. For some it can happen sooner. For others it can take longer. Either way, repetition is the key to forming a good habit. It’s the key to forming bad habits too so watch yourself. As you start off on your new adventure taking all the right steps will seem new and exciting and won’t be much of a challenge. As you move through the process though and the new steps become a little more commonplace in your life your mind may start to miss the old habits that it was so accustomed to. You’ll start to crave the comfort of the familiar. Just know that you are on a path to a better way of living and that turning back is not an option.
Once you’ve gotten into the groove with your new way of life and you’re habits are fully ingrained, you may run into little hiccups from time to time. It’s natural to miss the old comfortable ways even though you’re settled in your new lifestyle. Just remember why you made the change in your life in the first place and then stay strong. If you should happen to slip a little, don’t stress. You’ll soon remember that you’re doing what you’re doing for a reason and get right back on track.
Making changes in your life cold turkey can be effective. You get to jump in and get started and for those who have a preference towards instant gratification you’ll start to feel like things are working right away. As long as you stay on the path you’ll be successful. Just keep at it and surround yourself with people and information that will help you along the way.
Thanks for being here. Talk to you tomorrow.
-JB
(P.S. There will be a follow up post coming soon discussing the benefits of easing into a major change.)
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Today’s Music: Without Your Skin
by: Keaton Simons
Available on:
