Why it's hard to change even on New Year's Day

It has been proven that many people wait for bad things to happen to them before they decide to change.

A scientific article by Sue Langley revealed that only 9% of people who had a heart bypass actually modified their behavior when advised to do so.

Scientists have already proven that the human brain has a tendency to resist change. That’s because it takes a lot of work for the reasoning part of the brain to prevail while the instinct part of the brain effortlessly leads us to old habits. The mind follows the path of least resistance.

Oftentimes, we rationalize our behavior. I have some smoker friends who told tales like “I can no longer quit at this stage. My father died because the withdrawal symptoms made him sicker.”

In the Talk Space website, clinical psychologist Samantha Rodman reported that  many people stay in their not-so-pleasant circumstances because “fear of change is one of the most common fears that people face.” She noted that we may acquire such dread from anxious parents who “pass down the worldview that life is filled with danger and risk, and the best course of action is to stick with what is safe and known.”

Dr. Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney are the multi-awarded authors of the book Willpower. They admit that not everyone has an iron will. So, among their suggestions on how to resist temptation is to anticipate when they will come. For example, if it’s hard for you to resist beer, don’t go to the bar.

The authors also noted that “external factors” can be a great help to our change program. For example, if our goals are announced on social media, we may become more committed to our goals. A support group gives us a lot of change buddies, too.

Turney and Dr. Baumesiter observed that religious people have greater willpower than nonreligious people. They know they have God watching over them.

I believe that God does not simply threaten us with punishment. He gives us the strength to overcome whatever we fear in our changed lives. Is it a loss of comfort? Loss of privileges? Loneliness? Anything that we lose will be replaced by even better things!

I also believe that our willpower can be so much stronger if we remind ourselves that our desire to do good for ourselves and for other people is a covenant with God.

In Lamentations 3:22-23 it is written, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.”

Along with his new mercy is another chance.

We wouldn’t like to disappoint such a generous Father.

Read :

The Neuroscience of change: Why it’s difficult and what makes it easier by Sue Langley,

The Langley Group website

Fear of Change: Why life adjustments are difficult for you by Dr. Samantha Rodman in Talk Space website

WillPower by Dr. Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney

Psychological Triggers by Peter Hollins