Stop the Insanity!

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. That’s the definition of insanity. So, then, why is change so hard?

I just had to make some tough decisions. I’ve been teaching all manner of classes evenings and weekends for years; 24 years now to be exact. I’ve taught on Monday nights for the majority of these 24 years – cardio fitness, step, core strength and yoga. As my repertoire grew I added more. Then when I started my own business, I added more. And it was awesome! I’ve met so many great people over the years.

But then things suddenly changed during the pandemic. We had to adjust and go online. It was scary. I had to figure out technology, microphones, and lighting. But we all seemed to embrace this new way of doing things and people were coming to classes.

So that made me decide to add videos to my website – videos that people could purchase and do on their own time instead of a scheduled class. I had to learn to edit, and create. People loved the idea…for awhile.

When things opened up again last spring, I started teaching in-person again; just at lunch to start. I have to admit it was a slow start. Then in the fall, I changed from virtual in the evenings to a hybrid of virtual and in-person to accommodate all of my participants because people said they wanted to come back. Crickets. One of you out there got a fair number of private classes, which I think was serendipity – we needed each other at the time (you know who you are and I love you my friend).

So, dear readers, I realized that I could keep doing what I was doing and expect a different result. Tough it out. Hope that something changed. But when I put it out there to the Universe I really felt like things had shifted. Doing the same thing I had always done and expecting a different result just made me feel…well, a little insane. Something has changed with the pandemic or maybe just the world has changed.

[On a side note, when I was younger I thought that by 2023 we’d be riding around in space cars and taking a pill for our nutritional needs like in the Jetson’s (yes, I was much younger!). I guess the world hasn’t really changed that much then…]

So, after a great deal of consideration and whole lot of guesswork, I’m changing my schedule for the month of February. No regularly scheduled evening or weekend classes. Just workshops and random classes. And I’m taking a course on Monday nights for the month so a bit of “me time”. However, the course is to bring more to my Reiki treatments so win/win.

Change is hard. I feel a little like I need to get my feet under me again. Oh wait a minute…this is how we all feel when change happens. It’s uncomfortable, which is why many people never change! (that was my really long segue into the challenge of making new year changes…)

If you decided you wanted to make some changes this year and are finding it difficult, know that you are not alone. And that change is hard. Scary even. Especially if we don’t make it easier on ourselves. Want to eat better but keep buying the same food? Want to get stronger but keep binge watching Netflix instead of working out? Want to find a new job but keep rationalizing that you know yours really well and they would miss you (we are all indispensable after all)?

Making change happen will take some shifting of our mindset, our habits, and a little bit of a leap of faith as we try to navigate new things. But we can do it. Humans are incredibly resilient. Did you know that a female was born with one of the hemispheres of her brain missing – the side that develops communication – but she was able to rewire her brain just by working hard to learn how to communicate? The one hemisphere of her brain was able to pick up the neural networking that was missing. Crazy right? But she did it – that’s a huge obstacle to overcome. (From the book “The Brain that Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge).

Similar to stroke survivors who have to learn to walk or talk all over again. They have proven to us that change is hard but it can be done. But it takes work.

If you want to change something in your life but keep doing the same thing over and over again what will your expectations be? Maybe give the following a try:

1. Write down what change you want to make

2. Write down why you want to make this change

3. Write down one thing you can start today to make this change. Do it.

See how that goes for a week. Then write down another thing you can do and do it. Keep going, my friend, because you are on your way!

One of the new things I’m offering this month is a series of workshops to help make change and be healthier. On Monday February 1st at 5:30pm, I’m offering the first workshop called, “How to Make Habits Stick”. Something to consider if you want to hear more about making change.

Stay sane!