Preperation

Making a Plan for Change 

Changing your behaviour is difficult without a plan. Many people try to make healthier adjustments without a clear strategy, only to struggle with maintaining those changes. Whether it’s eating healthier, being more active, or reducing addictive behaviours, success often requires specific steps and support.

Be Specific

To measure progress, your goals need to be clear. Example:

_"I want to cut down my alcohol consumption to weekends only, and limit myself to two drinks per night."_

Tell Someone Your Plan

Share your goal with someone you trust, who can act as a supportive mirror to keep you on track.

Record Your Plan

Write it down, record it as a voice message, or save it somewhere visible to remind yourself.

Pick a Start Date

Decide when you’ll begin and how long you’ll commit to the new behavior to see if it’s working.

Track Your Progress

What steps will help you stay on course? Change can be hard, but tracking your efforts can reinforce your progress.

Other Activities

As you make changes, feelings of regret over past actions may arise. You might think that only engaging in the behaviour will solve current problems, like gambling to recover financial losses, or drinking to deal with stress. These thoughts can lead to risky behaviors, but it’s important to recognize that they often result in more harm. If it’s hard to accept past losses or challenges, professional support may be helpful.