Day 17 of Enlightenment

I have had a comforting thought. For myself I call it "personal revelation", but for everyone else, you can call it what ever you want.

THE BIG QUESTION?

How do I make permanent positive change in my life?

Re-stated: When I want to make positive change in my life, how do I make it stick? What is the key to stopping the yo-yoing of trying to change and then I fail, then trying to change again? After praying about this, it came to me.

I am going to relate my idea to something very familiar to me. It's a scripture in the Book of Mormon, in Alma 32:27-28

27.But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

28.Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it our by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves - It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the work is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

And of course, this is a classic scripture talking about Faith.

If you have just a little bit of faith in something, (here it talks about the WORD, or the scriptures of the Book of Mormon), and you practice your faith, if it is a good thing, it will grow and make you feel good, therefore increasing your faith in this thing.

Relating this to my thing, which is "How do I make positive change in my life and make it stick?"

1. By merely having the desire to make a positive change in my life, I am "planting the seed". So that is step one, I planted the seed, I have a desire to do something, and faith that it will work. ( I am talking about positive, healthy, law-abiding things.)

2. Next, I need to believe in the change I am making, and feel positive about it. This is the first part of the work or "exercising my faith."

3. Next, I need to continue to "exercise my faith". I need to put to practice my change. Being that it is a positive change, it will make me feel good, and I will desire to do more of it.

4. Lastly, the more I continue to make this change, the stronger and more enlightened I will be for this change is good, and "beginneth to be delicious to me."

So why does change work for some and not for others? Well, for starters, some people, when jogging 3 miles makes them feel great, that feeling they get isn't as strong as a feeling they might get when they are sitting on the couch and watching thier favorite TV show. Or maybe, someone's pleasure and lack of indigestion in eating a healthy delicious salad, isn't as strong as a feeling they would get when sinking their teeth into a fresh morning doughnut.

On a good note, the more you practice jogging, or eating healthy salads, the more your body will recognize the good feelings you get when doing so and will crave to do them more. But, if you need that extra help to get yourself started, try practicing the "feeling good while doing something good" idea.

While you are doing something good for you, and you know you are going to feel good about it, enhance that good feeling by doing other things at the same time that also make you feel good.

For instance, while jogging (or any other exercise), listen to your favorite "feel good music", wear a fragrant lotion or spray that you love to smell and makes you feel good, wear an exercise outfit that is comfortable and makes you feel good about yourself, say affirmations to yourself that boost your mood levels, jog in an area that is visually stimulating and pleasant or next to someone at the gym who doesn't intimidate you, and try just relaxing more and enjoy what you are doing.

With eating, while eating a healthy salad (or anything else healthy), only allow yourself to watch your favorite TV show if you are eating that healthy salad, try putting some different foods into your salad to increase its yummy-ness (green or kalmata olives, lentil salad, apples, shredded coconut, mint, fresh basil). Eat your salad in a pleasant surrounding. Listen to some soothing music while eating, try eating after you have showered and feel fresh and relaxed, try making a healthy lunch date with someone who you enjoy and who makes you feel positive while around them. Try dressing up before you eat your salad, you will be amazed at how it might make you feel.

I am sure there are many other ways to increase your "feel good" feeling while doing positive things in your life. The bottom line is, if it is good, it will begin to feel good to you, and you will want to do more of it. Stay positive, and keep practicing having FAITH in your newly planted seed. Change happens the moment you plant that seed, and will continue to happen the more you nourish and practice this change.