Posts Tagged ‘change’

Creating Lasting Change

What would your life be like if I waved a magic wand and you continued to do what you are doing but you consistently did it better?

What new avenues could you explore and how would your relationships change if your self-confidence suddenly soared?

Imagine dialing down your negative self-talk and instead became genuinely content and happy with who you are and what you do.

What would your life be like if much of your stress and anxiety disappeared?

What if I told you that that magic wand really existed and was within your reach? It does. And it is.

Research has shown again and again that people who set goals to create change:

  • Perform better
  • Exhibit increased self-confidence
  • Are happier with their performance
  • Suffer less stress and anxiety

Now that’s powerful but it’s not magic. Creating lasting change is possible, but it is only through the power of God’s Holy Spirit, knowledge of the way He created us, and some plain, old-fashioned hard work.

Shocking Fact

Even with all our advances in medicine, the combined knowledge of public health officials, the power of the government and the authority of our family physician, very few people can make and sustain healthy, lasting lifestyle changes.

In fact, only 1 in 9 patients who have been told that they must make a significant change or they will die have been able to make that change.

Clearly, creating lasting change is hard, and the old methods we typically use – facts, fear, and force – do not work.

Good News

Thankfully, new developments in Brain Science have given us insight into how God created us and now show us what does work. And that is good news.

Successful change is at root of all growth, and that is the heartbeat of coaching. When coaches take God’s timeless truths and integrate Brain Science’s new findings, true change for our clients can and will occur.

I hope you will join me over the next few months as I examine the ingredients involved in creating lasting change. Imagine the difference it could make in your life.


Successful Change ~Made to Crave Ch15A

Mindset

Successful change always takes two things, a changed mindset and supportive systems. The first and most important change starts with our mindset. Scripture is clear that true transformation begins by “renewing our minds” (Romans 12:2). Our study in “Made to Crave” has been incredibly helpful in that regard.  But we also need sustainable systems, strategies to help hold our new learning in place.

Mechanics

Sustainable change needs techniques, support, systems and more if we expect to succeed over the long haul.

Today, I thought I would share some of my favorite strategies, and I hope that you will add yours as well. Together we will all grow stronger.

Some strategies that have helped me:

At home…

  • Throw out all tempting food.
  • Eat on a smaller plate.
  • Have a can of clear broth before a meal.
  • Have a salad with each meal.

For grocery shopping…

  • Make a list and stick to it.
  • Don’t shop hungry.

For exercising…

  • Exercise with a friend.
  • Do it first thing in the morning.
  • Reward myself (not with food) when I exercise 3 days a week or more.

When hit with a craving…

  • Label it as a craving and a temptation.
  • Shut down all the rationalizations going on in my mind.
  • Don’t give myself a choice.
  • Imagine what the consequences would be if I gave in.
  • Read my 3×5 cards pointing me to Jesus.
  • Get busy doing something else.
  • Walk, run or drive away.

When eating out…

  • Look up the Weight Watchers points of that restaurant online and choose what I am going to eat before I go.
  • Don’t let the waiter put any bread on the table.
  • Order a ‘lunch sized’ portion, even at dinner time.
  • Ask them for a grilled chicken breast even when it’s not on the menu. I’ve never had them say no.
  • When I’m full, pour salt on my food so I won’t keep nibbling away.
  • If I’m going to someone’s house or a church buffet, eat a banana to help me feel full before I go.

For getting back on track…

  • Repent immediately and accept God’s forgiveness.
  • Recommit immediately to my diet and to Him – don’t say, “I’ll start again tomorrow.” Do it now!
  • Give myself credit for all the things I did well.
  • Continue checking in with my accountability partner.
  • Remember that the road to success is not a straight line – everybody has their ups and down.
  • Remind myself that the only way to fail is to quit.
  • Continue to write down all the food I eat, especially when I’ve not eaten well.

What About You?

What strategies and techniques can you add to this list?

Please join our discussion and
leave a comment here.


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Danger – Blog Changes Ahead!

Danger – change ahead!!! Oh, how I wish those words never had to come out of my mouth (keyboard :) ).

The truth is that in this time-restrained world “nothing fails like success,” and what that means is that changes lie ahead for the Living in Love with Jesus blog here at Life Coaching for Christian Women. In others words, I have been so undeservedly blessed by my Father God that I find myself in the difficult position of having to narrow the scope of the Living in Love with Jesus blog that I love.

Change Is Hard

This is hard!!! I get a lump in my throat just saying it but know it is for the best.

I love everything I do, and if my time and energy were unlimited (hah!), I would only add more to my plate and not take a single thing away. Unfortunately, that is not what God seems to be calling me to in this particular season of my ministry life.

I am praying that revamping the blog will allow me some additional time and focus to devote even more to my one-to-one coaching practice and to public speaking engagements with Christian women. My life’s passion is to live contagiously in love with Jesus and helping other Christian women do the same is what gets me out of bed every day.

Delightfully Intermittent

Thus, for a time Living in Love with Jesus will move to a “delightfully intermittent mode” – meaning that I’ll allow myself the privilege of posting when time permits and my heart cannot be contained in its sharing. Against all prevailing blogging wisdom, (don’t you just love it when God goes against prevailing wisdom), this will be completely random and hopefully will become a sweet unanticipated surprise to readers each time it appears.

Stay In Touch

If you would like to stay in touch (and I really, really hope you do), you can by:

God has blessed me beyond measure with amazing relationships developed through this blog, such as my relationship with you, and I pray that those continue until we meet in eternity face to face.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you are and all you do. Please let me know of any way that I can serve you and pray for you as we eagerly await our Savior’s return.

God loves you and so do I!

Humbled by His love ~ Kim


Be All That God Created You To Be ~ More Goals to Consider

by Kim Avery

Jump start your week by prayerfully pondering some more of the things that God may be calling you to as you engage in His transformation process.

Each Tuesday on Transformed on Tuesdays you will learn how to become more and more the woman God created you to be. Then, you can drop by each weekend to find a short list of ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Some of the ideas won’t be for you but others will be just what God has in mind.

Begin today to be all that God created you to be. Imagine the possibilities. You could…

Submit your life to God instead of trying to run it yourself.

Become encouraging in everything you say.

Discover the life God has uniquely planned for you.

Improve the profitability of your company by 10% this year.

Expand your circle of friends to include those who truly inspire you.

Stop manipulating people and start accepting them.

Have fun without feeling guilty about it.

Communicate so clearly that people really get what you are saying.

Use time wisely and stop wasting it.

Reduce adrenaline in your life so you don’t burn out.

True transformation is hard. Changing the habits of a lifetime takes prayer, planning, practice, self-forgiveness when you fall short, and the ability to make adjustments along the way. Many women find change easier with the help, encouragement, support, accountability, and wisdom of a life coach walking by their side. Consider taking a minute to explore how life coaching can help you.

What change are you going to begin incorporating into your life today?


Transformed on Tuesdays

by Kim Avery

I want to be different. You want to be different. We all want (and need) true transformation. But what exactly does that mean? Who exactly do we want to become?

Change Needed

It’s easy for me to articulate the things I don’t like about myself. My thighs are too fat, my neck is too wrinkled, and my nose a tad too big. Unfortunately, only plastic surgery can fix that.
Actually there are much more important things that I don’t like about myself, inner things, character flaws typically known as sin:

  • My tendency to think I know it all
  • The way I leap to judgment before I have all the facts
  • The tone of voice I use with my son
  • My desire to have everything my way
  • My lack of faith
  • My easily discouraged heart

If there were a Kim Avery version of the Bible (and let’s all be glad that there isn’t), I’m sure there would be a verse that read like this:

For Kim is one of God’s messes,
He got frustrated with her long ago,
and gave all the good things He planned for her to do to someone else.
I Kim 2:10

Thankfully, that verse isn’t in the Bible, in any version. Instead, God says this:

For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

I am a masterpiece. You are one, too. And Scripture is continually exhorting us to grow into who He has already made us to be. And I’m ready.

Transformed on Tuesdays

Beginning tomorrow, I would like to take each Tuesday to search and discover who God made us to be and then learn how to fully engage in His transformation process.

Additionally, each weekend I plan to post a short list of things that God may (or may not) be calling you to incorporate into your journey of transformation. So be sure to stop by both Tuesday and Saturday to expand your thinking regarding what is possible with our amazing God.

I can’t afford to waste another day. I want to be all God created me to be.

Are you with me?

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