For those of us dealing with addiction in our lives or the people we love, one challenge we repeatedly find ourselves up against is people trying to convince others to change. Sometimes we’re the ones trying to convince others to change, and sometimes it’s our loved ones trying to convince us. We might be on the receiving or initiating end of an intervention. We might be filled with worry as we’re forced to watch our loved ones self-destruct. Our family and friends might have tried countless times to persuade us to check into rehab because our addictive patterns have grown out of control. Many of us have firsthand experience with just how hard it can be to convince people to make changes in their lives. When we’re dealing with addiction, we have the added challenge of the concern we feel for their safety and well-being. We can be confused and baffled as to why they won’t change when their behaviors are hurting them. Why is it so hard to convince people to change?
Internal Motivation for Lasting Change
The truth is that people change only if and when they’re ready to. Nothing external can force us to change before we have the readiness, willingness, and courage to make a change for ourselves. Sure, we can be inspired, encouraged, motivated by other people, but the push to make the necessary change needs to come from within or it won’t be genuine. It won’t be followed up by action. It won’t lead to lasting results. We won’t initiate the change if it hasn’t come from a place of personal responsibility and accountability. We have to have the internal determination to initiate change or if it won’t culminate in actual progress.
Rejecting External Force
In the past, we may have tried to change who we are because of someone else’s plan for us. What often happens is that we quit prematurely, never seeing much progress or gaining much momentum, and that’s because we didn’t have the motivation to make the change on our own accord. When we don’t commit to change ourselves we often reject reason and logic. We will ignore people’s pleas and their tough love, even when they’re heartfelt and full of emotion because we don’t feel compelled to make the change yet, and our mind hasn’t been made up for ourselves. We resent ultimatums, being forced, controlled, manipulated and guilt-tripped. The only thing that can create meaningful, lasting change in our lives is our motivation and commitment to ourselves.
Are you ready to take the first step on your journey to recovery?
Call The Guest House today! 855-483-7800.
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3230 Northeast 55th Avenue Silver Springs, FL 34488