Stages of Change - Action

The fourth Stage of Change is ACTION – following a consistent plan to reduce or eliminate a problem behavior. In this phase, one tends to be motivated more by personal commitment to healthier living, rather than pressure from others. The benefits of changing have been seen, and one can begin to notice some positive results.

Since a person is more open about discussing the problem, he or she is more likely to ask for support from loved ones, colleagues, support groups or counselors. This can help one begin to learn new ways to address the problem and avoid high-risk situations.

While working through the ACTION stage, consider the following points to improve your chances of success:

• Remember to reward yourself. Learning to do this in healthy ways reduces the chances you will rely on bad habits to seek comfort. Buy yourself flowers, publicly share your success or celebrate with loved ones.
• Falling back into old patterns is common as you face ongoing life challenges while learning to use new coping skills. If you find yourself slipping back, reach out for support to keep from becoming discouraged.
• Instead of striving to be perfect, strive to grow from your missteps. Ask yourself, “What will I do differently next time?”
• Find people who are positive role models for making changes, and continue to associate with them, even when things are going well for you.
• Use a journal or calendar to keep track of your goals, successes and challenges. Pay attention to patterns that emerge.
• Every day, write down an important reason for changing, and keep the list with you at all times. Remember both short-term and long-term benefits.

As you are reviewing your progress in the ACTION stage, ask yourself:

• What is working well?
• What is making it harder to change?
• What could make it work even better?

As your confidence grows through patience and practice, you will move toward the MAINTENANCE stage, where lifestyle changes begin to feel more natural and the focus becomes maintaining a positive routine and creating plans to manage slips. 

Next Stage of Change - Maintenance

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