So You Want a Healthier Lifestyle: Are You Ready to Make a Change?
by Rhonda Karg, Ph.D
Nearly everyone has at least one health behavior they would like to change: getting regular exercise, eating a healthier diet, losing weight, drinking less alcohol, and quitting smoking, to name a few. So why do most people struggle with taking action and improving their health behaviors? People struggle with taking action to change because they think that the desire to change equals readiness or motivation to change. However, making the decision to change an unhealthy behavior almost always involves ambivalence, and on an internal level, considering the pros and cons of changing versus staying the same. That ratio of pros to cons is what tells us if a person’s desire equals readiness and motivation. If a person’s readiness/motivation to change the behavior is low, the cause could be that the pros of staying the same outweigh the cons of changing. For example, in the case of health behaviors, the immediate rewards of the unhealthy lifestyles (e.g., getting fast food) often outweigh the costs of implementing healthier choices (e.g., preparing a healthy meal). If readiness and motivation are low, you will need to get support and work on changing your perception of pros and cons, and/or doing more exploration of pros and cons to move into action!
Do you have a behavior you want to change? How ready are you to make this change? Answer the following questions in terms of a problem behavior to find out!
PROS AND CONS OF CHANGING
Rate each item as to its importance in deciding to take action. Rate each item as accurately as you can. Fill in the number that most closely reflects the importance of each item:
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1 = Not important
2 = Slightly important 3 = Somewhat important 4 = Quite important 5 = Extremely important |
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1. Some people would think less of me if I change.
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2. I would be healthier if I change.
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3. Changing takes a lot of change.
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4. Some people would feel better about me if I change.
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5. Some people would think less of me if I change.
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6. I would be healthier if I change.
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7. Changing takes a lot of change.
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8. Some people would think less of me if I change.
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9. Some people would think less of me if I change.
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10. I would be healthier if I change.
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11. Changing takes a lot of change.
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12. Some people would feel better about me if I change.
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13. I’m concerned I might fail if I try to change.
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14. Changing would make me feel better about myself.
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15. Changing takes a lot of effort and energy.
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16. I would function better if I change.
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17. I would have to give up some things I enjoy.
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18. I would be happier if I change.
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19. I get some benefits from my current behavior.
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20. Some people could be better off if I change.
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21. Some people benefit from my current behavior.
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22. I would worry less if I changed.
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23. Some people would be uncomfortable if I change.
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24. Some people would be happier if I change.
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SCORING
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Add up your scores on the odd-numbered items:
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PROS_____
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Add up your scores on the even-numbered items:
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CONS_____
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Your health is extremely important. Make your self-care and your health a high priority! As a single parent myself, I know how difficult it can be to take time out of your busy schedule to engage in self-care. But if you have desire to make the changes, you can shift that into readiness and motivation, and reach your self-care goals!
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